HOSPITAL FEES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1924, Page 6

HOSPITAL FEES

QUESTION OF COLLECTION

WELLINGTON'S EXAMPLE SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.

That hospital boards-should use every .effort, to collect fees from patients is ono .of the points stressed ..by; the:: DirectorGeneral of Health (Dr. T. H. A. Valiutine) in his annual report The report says tliat^ Nvitll the > enlargement of our hospitkl service, the increase .in medical'",knowledge and th H in f ,'r-t rf .thf natural tendency-and, tre-fh^ ' .^'^k'^ty-of Persons seeking tieatanent therein rather than in ijrivatS witE t S ' wllicl\™^°pe to compete with the- general institutions in efficiency and equipment, it: is all the more nece.sap^at the matter, of coSn of patients payments . should bo cai-e----£t&S dand plaoed °"a s°»^ Sticistactory basis." ■ ; . : ' . ■A > hospital board . of. any size •. dealing with a great number, of patients' a,? couns^,dbe,welladviied Ito^t^ as the Wellington 'Board has' already with' 4 ™PH ate' PeeS C^^ttee-toS counts T! concerain S patients' accounts. ■ Ihe mere sending out of nrint le^r"'"^ 1" B■■8■■°r %.<Wment oil co ' "ood I,vtt conT^° n basis •» of--little ood by themselves. The amount which. dM? ei Ut *an ? ly ' either nt a cel'ta" Su^ S htte\^ t^s^ iocto \ i ' al, ld- 3? Mses -d colioctoi is employed to collect such amounts any failure, to receive thn reZt e fcdmlderUl^IV t0 be 1»M *dul/^ lepoited immeilmtely by hi m to tim board's secretary dr./ccoimtant and view by the Fees Committee. ably-results in'a bad'debt Tl ' amount' can be paid Tlv=' l • c ■ Ths. tendency of some boards to ?l nw gard^ paying their -&o4TO^f£ 1 there is yet a limit Ke & &AjS'" f^d^ eS et^t^pa;r^^