HOSPIEAL SYSTEMS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 20 February 1926, Page 5

HOSPIEAL SYSTEMS.

COMMUNITY INSTITUTION LEADS. EXPERT AMERICAN OPINION. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) NELSON, Feb. 19. In an address before the British Medical Association’s conference, Dr. Malcolm Maceachcrn, the noted American authority on hospital organisation, said that while there are a variety of hospital policies in existence, it is difficult to find one that is entirely perfect. Every country must consider this problem in relation to. its own particular conditions and circumstances. The voluntary community hospital, subsidised as necessary from the consolidated revenue of the State and of tne municipality over and above the earnings, consisting of fees from patients and departments, prevails in an overwhelming majority at present, and 0000 or 6000 institutions are successfully operating under this system. Dr. Maceachcrn summarised his general views on hospital policy as follows: (1) The voluntary community hospital subsidised as required by Governmental and municipal aid, in addition to patients’ fees and earnings from departments is the great recognised hospital of the age. (2 The taxation hospitals, theoretically for the necessitous poor, tend too much to nationalisation of hospitals, which, so far in various sporadic attempts in America and elsewhere, have been regarded as failures, allowing, too much political interference, routineism, lazy, lax service, and the retarding of medical research, as well as being a tremendous financial burden on the community. (3) Efforts should be made to stimulate 'more voluntary support to hospitals, and this is best carried out through a system of annual life governors with power to nominate representatives on a boartlgif trustees. (4) The public wards of every hospital should be used only for the neces-. saTy poor and be treated by a voluntary staff. (5) Every hospital should aim at providing services for all clinical types and different grades of accommodation for patients of varying financial status. (6) A system of tax rate is not as economical and desirable as indenting on a health budget of the municipality and State for the necessary subsidy each year, which varies with the fluctuating demands on the institution. (7) The community type of hospital offers the most economical policy and is less burden on the taxpayer. It raises the proficiency of the medical profession and renders by all means the best -scientific service to the people, a service tempered by all the qualities necessary to keep the hospital human. It stimulates more community interest and pride, resulting in attracting benefactions or offers the most economical policy and is less burden on the taxpayer. Dr. Maceachcrn considers that there arc far too many small inefficient hospitals the world over, and that more concentration of hospital work in base institutions is necessary, where the use of scientific equipment is provided and where specialists are available.