HOSPITAL POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 92, 21 April 1925, Page 7

HOSPITAL POLICY

PRIVATE PAYING WARDS

THE MEDICAL STAFF.

"My opinion is that the hospital ought to be open to everyone," said the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr. H. J. Otley) at the annual meeting, in the course of his annual address. "You cannot expect, however," he continued, "to ask the honorary staff to do the work without being paid. The only way to get over it is to erect private wards, and my opinion is that we ' should do so straight away, so that people may receive the benefit of our special departments, without bavin" to be moved. I have heard of a patient being brought from a private hospital to the public hospital, to be examined and then taken home." i _ Referring to the chairman's remarks in tho course of discussion later the Rev J K. Archer expressed the opinion that the board could take up the matter much' sooner than some members imagined. I lhe idea seemed to be that the board I could not have these patients without building a special department to re- ; ceive, them. He thought they might need an extra, ward or two, but not an ' extra department. As to the question- ! ot paying doctors, he saw no 'reason why the board could not apply to the city hospital what they applied to the country hospitals. In the country hospitals patients were charged by the board for maintenance, and thuy paid their own doctor. People paying large sums in rates should be able to avail themselves ot the facilities of the special departments.. He wished to avoid anything in the nature of two types of hospital, his idea being one hospital, open to all classes. '-..*. . MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S i VIEWS.- | „T,h.J s question was referred to by the Medical Superintendent (Dr. Fox) in his report. He stated inter alia. "The. improvement in hospital management has had the effect of popularising the hospital, 'every means of humane consideration, for. the welfare of the-pub-lic has been introduced, our special departments equipped ,with every device that will allow of a speedy and accurate diagnosis has been installed, so that no outside institution can legitimately compete. AH these factors have brought tho public to seek admission with every hopo that the best that can be obtained will «™", at the Ch«stchurch Hospital. While this popularity is taxing our resources, it must be- a pride to your board as it is to the management, to know that no colonial hospital stands higher m the public esteem. I know of no colonial hospital that is so thoroughly equipped.. Whereas such is the case, the unfortunate pity of the case is that only a section of the public is strictly speaking, eligible for admission. As one being in close touch with the desires of all sections of the-sick public, on the one hand, and the medical professions on the other hand, it is trusted your board will make an earnest endeavour to build a paying or private block at an early opportunity, thus settling some of the abuses of hospital practice that are so pressing on the gratuitous services of the honorary medical staffs. We are all aware the answer is finance."