HOSPITAL FEES

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1920, Page 5

HOSPITAL FEES

AN'ELUSIVE GUINEA

SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION.

A discussion arose at to-day's meeting of the Grey Hospita land Charitable Aid Board relative to fees charged to members of the Runanga Medical Association. It appeared from letters- written by the secretary of the Association and one member had at the suggestion of Dr. Cotter gone to the hospital for examination and had been charged a guinea. The other was relative to si- charge of two guineas made, for an X-Rny examination. The former was in the ordinsuperintendent for a consultation and the latter was handed over to"the Board. ■• >;' /

The medical superintendent ex plained that Dr. Cotter sent the man down, it being suggested that a consultation . was necessary. The man asked h ; m what Ins fee was and he replied "That: doesn't matter, if, you cannot afford it." The man srid : 'lf you glfo me a receipt 1 wii] recover half the, fee—one guinea—from the Association. The doctor then took the money and [rave him' one of his own receipts. The examination. was an arrangements with Dr. Cotter.

The Chairman: You considered it w/ip a consultation.

The Doctor: Yes, Dr. Cotter told me it- was a consultaton. I would not have worried about it if th'fi man bad not offered it. I told him. it was the first'guinea T had had Rimanoa.

Mr. Williams said that \t any rate it was: a "win" for the doctor.' Be considered that a.s the Runanga doctor did not come in there "wap .-><- consultation. He di 1 think the intention o f the Board 'that the doctor should take payment in such circumstances. ' .: :

With regard to the charge of two guineas by the Board for X-Ray,ex-amination the doctor said that, he amount was charged in accordance with a decision cf th« Board.

Mr. Williams 1 said that he thought that asi the members of the Bunanga and ■Blackball' Medical Associations were direct contributors to the Board's funds a reduction should be made in this e^.e. Dr. Johnston: Their levies for 12 months are "run t" by their in--patients* in six months. The Chairman: Tdo not think we can do anything just now. The amount charge! j s the amounted] stated m a resolution of the Bop/rd. Mr. Skoglnnd: I agree that they should not be required to pay the full amount. Mr. Williams intimated that at the next meeting he would move that the charge in respect to members of this two Associations 'should be reduced by half in regard to XRay examinations. The matter dropped. It was also mentioned that in future members of the Ass'ociftt-fanjfJ who went to the hospital should r£ive a.carl from the secretary and if not the time of their arrival at least a$ soon afterwards as possible. This was to obviate members being charged when they should not be and ndnjn members getting treatment as members.