HOSPITAL FEES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 86, 10 April 1924, Page 9

HOSPITAL FEES

ACCOUNTS MUST. BE PAID

BY THOSE IN POSITION.

A summary of the large amount of work done by the Wellington Hospital, and the drastic actions the board was now taking ;to recover fees wherever possible, were'placed before a meeting of 'the City Council members, local body representatives, and members of various associations, including the Civic League, Welfare, League, and-,National Council of Women, held last evening in the Council Chamber. The Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) presided. The speaker was Mr. W. Appleton, a member of the board, and the address was arranged by the Civic^League. : Mr. Appleton said that few people realised tlie magnitude of the work of the Hospital. Last year, at the General Hospital, 54 1 5 patients were, treated, an average of 410 being in the Hospital every day. „■% addition, 12,8C9 out-pat-.ients were treated, and the number of attendances on these people was 70,067. The primary object of the Hospital'was to cater lor people who were unable to pay for medical treatment elsewhere,! but this fact was ignored, and a great number of the patients who could art'ord to pay for private treatment took advantage of the General Hospital.- There were a great number of people who could not pay-for. their treatment, but there were a number who could afford to pay and did not. As a member of a public body he had been amazed at the huge sums . demanded from local bodies to ■maintain the Hospital.' The speaker stated that a "rot" had set in in regard to -the payment by patients. This was evidenced by the fact that while in the year 1917-1918 thie . percentage of fees collected. was 35.03 per cent., the sum gradually fell to 21.5 per cent, for the period ending 31st March, 1923. He had not. been able- to ascertain the precise percentage for last year, but the collections' for the last twelve months represented an improvement in in-pat-ients' fees alone of £2519 more than for the previous year, and it, was obvious that the .percentage of .collections would also be higher. It was perhaps only fair to point out that-in 1917-18-19 the Government paid the Hospital for a number" of military patients, and this, naturally, would swell /the total slim of the fees paid.- Notwithstanding the: Government contributions,, however, the percentage paid, by patients was gradually getting less up to 1923. Mr. Appleton pointed out that- a, special Fees Committee was set up a few months back, with himself, as chairman, and although they had not yet beenable to get down to "tin tacks," a distinct improvement is noticeable, and the "rot !> his been arrested. He saw no reason why the collection of fees should not, range about 40 per cent. During the last twelve; months out of 5475 patients, 419 remained at the. end of the year. Of the remainder, 1161, representing nearly.23 per cent., paid their accounts in 'full; 92 were members of staff; 94 paid in part; 379 are paying by instalments; 849, or approximately 17 per cent., were written ' off; and 2088, .or 41 per cent., are^outstanding. -■..The speaker proceeded to detail the new method of collection instituted, and said that in cases where it was evident .that the. patient or the breadwinner could,, not' pay, the amount was written off. withdut deriiur, upon the necessary representations, being made to the receiver arid approved by thtf- committee.. In, cases where a. percentage only could be paid, 'a reasonable adjustment would be made". The .only accounts handed to the'agency for more drastic action were those where no satisfaction was received either in; the way of payment or in explanation.. If a debtor was.not prepared to explain his' circumstances to the committee in confidence he could not reasonably complain ■ if- steps were taken for the,, collection of his account, for it must be assumed in-.Jlie absence of evidence to the contrary that the patient .could pay.. He considered that the sooner.' that, somfe of these shirkers were brought before the Magistrate the better, and it was the committee's intention to recommend to. the board that summonses be issued in a number of , cases. The speaker mentioned that quite a number of patients in the past had given fictitious addresses, but a' new system of taking particulars had now been instituted. Mr. Appleton said he would like to make a plea, and that -was that there should be more young blood on the board, and especially from the ranks of the business .community. He said that Wellington city was, fortunate in the calibre of the men representing it on the' Hospital Board, and the'greatest credit-was due to those-kindly gentlemen who had for so many years served the board so faithfully and so well. Their experience and judgment were invaluable, find Mr. Appleton stated that he would not for a moment suggest that we should lose their services as a whole, but he considered that even his older, and. maybe wiser,, friends rwould admit that a. sprinkling of -business men of a younger generation would do much to: .modernise, and better the accorrimodatiqn of Hospital affairs.