COLLECTING FEES OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6910, 16 May 1929, Page 6

COLLECTING FEES OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS

PALMERSTON GETS ONLY-35 PER CENT. The secretary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board (Mr. A. J. Philiipps) reported to Tuesday’s meeting ox the board that £749 17s Id had been collected in patients’ fees for the month of April. Tho estimate had been £875. Mr. A. E. Mansford asked what percentage of fees the board was collecting. Tho secretary stated about 35 per cent, and pointed out that in criticising the collections one had to remember that a certain number of tho patients were inmates of the Old Peoples’ Home, members of the staff, charitable aid eases, old age pensioners and inmates of tho tuberculosis, annexe and fever wards. The percentage of fees was thus really reduced to 70 per cent, or 75 per cent, before the Board could commence collecting. Mr. Mansford remarked that other hospitals were up against the same difficulty and if he remembered rightly, Palmerston North did not compare favourably with some others. Ho knew of a patient who could well afford to pay, but who had not received a bill. The secretary: Every patient gets a bill as ho leaves the hospital. If Mr. Mansford will give me the name I can turn up the man’s file to show when he got it. The chairman (Mr. J. K. Hornbiow) observed that if any member of the board knew of a patient being in circumstances where he could pay, it was that member’s,duty to notify tho board. Mr. Mansford said he would go icj.o tho case instanced by him, with the secretary. Ho also asked if members of the board could bo supplied wivi a precis of accounts to be passed for payment, before the board met. Tho secretary pointed out that tho difficulty ia. tho past had been that the board’s meeting was too early in the month and some of the accounts wore not received until vne day before the meeting. The board then decided to postpone its monthly meetings until tho third Monday of each month in order to give the secretary time to prepare the precis asked for.