COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 16 April 1928, Page 8

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

! HEALTH DEPARTMENT NOT ANTAGONISTIC THE SYSTEM ANALYSED a>; estimate of cosi

Aa interesting .lepuitmenia! -i- >-y • the. svsteni ol establishing pirate varn;fn j_.ui.l-- ho>pil:il>. kli'-.v 11 p'T'darlv .. - | | the fomniiiiiiiv h..-p:tal syMein. j„ ,i,.. appemfn I- 111.- annual "T'" ; •' j I ,|„ ||.-;, I'll Depart.lent 111-l i>-H.M. | I Kri.iii I iin.- I" mm;.' -'i-- '- 1 '"',', :i '"i „,;„-... il,i,i hospital l-in'l- -1«..i.|.l V<" :

vi.le private ,va,'l, ... .1.-i m- H ... -n-. for these vvill.nu t" |«i> :l " l"-'7 '"•'; ~,......., |-v t.. 1.1. el the ~M ~| -.„•:, uar-N.' states ll.e -T" • ■ ''J '"' I 1 ".' ~,.. |)..p:i.-tiuenl has reeouiosed lie' p>'l

i.. N that ill-' hospitals are Maine., j ~M IV |..i lie's. I.nahle :■• \,»\ h-t pinal" ......'lie:,: ~...1 ..ursine, treat .iieM. leav.m, j ; ~, a \ei v meal esft'M I" the \... '."...-. hoards Iheinselves 1.. apph mli poll' v. !

aee..rdi.l'4 ! " 'l'" parli.-uh.i i I- »•»' ,„,- LH,,, ol ..el. di.lr.et. An ...H ! | v i ni r .h.liiet with n.. ade.piate means j ,;,,. ~. n vate me.li.al ol nitl'Mim serve. ,

hospital. The hasir I ipl<- ; liowovor. , has Urn Hull ill- 1 beds are primarily for j ;1,,. needy. If afler Hie needs <>f the .i.l- - am met. there are varanl beds, then those in better . nviimstaiiees iuv j g, anted admission. SOT ANT.\<MiNISI It'

'•The establishment of private war. Is . J stronplv opposed in some <piarier>. <>n ,|„. (jnxitu! that H "ill proini.tc flu? 1 .listim-tions. The Depart.ne..l has never shown miiv antagonism io the propn.-al. ice lisink tlml. provided always pri vale wards emild he established without re. Mdi.-e. to the public I'llllds. Mole eili cionl t mat mi in slioulrl result, even n their were no saving in enst. I" t.lm pa< , r nt The Department, in faet. woukl viliinf* when the time is opportune. '■•

! ... .■• ..•!,■ imniil 'i' lea.-! r ' v the »\ppiiI ~,..„) ~f :, i.l. . :, , !' pvr <', ; wai,l, i h, ~ ;.->... . |...v ,- .•,. < i ill.' increased i ';..)- ,|,.n r.|) ; i>,. put,l:, flllld- nl' ho.-pital 1.-xprmlitu.-... ; ,ii.l' il»' li.mw building pr" | ;;,; iri „,i.- i|.;.l b.,' •■ >' i.l I" I- faced : :i1..l i ,;] •, |, ■,-. ;,' n ..1 'I - fill i I llill . generally

| iljioii-.'M v hi. Ii ill'' r>"iM!tiii->li lliis pa.--ed. ! !,...|-,it!,l I !• ha- ■ >.\ ;-,-l\ for tho pro I . ..,,1 ,j,, •,. i, ~., in llli ■:. i'.n In indulge 111 i .... . • ~..:-,,..,,:• hi llii- dire, hV.ii In j ~-,,,,, ,!, •!,, „!,n .]::-!. i. I- ii tt let's I ~,, ; j!||( . ~„,-. M ,', ~% ;, , 1 t||.. M lS.Mvn.< nf I I I i'-. j. .•■- ..f ! !'>■ I|i..-|>il:t! ■ il ■ t'f|P> IJOW

r.'V.'k.'- Vh' ,-''i .Id'-ho'ioni rf'n'-iwi.r wards ! , .-. ■„.- i ~,..■..•». whilst 11l 111!- 1arge- ;,,.,,,;,., ;,„,,!, ,„ : i,,n, hospital fill iliiic-

\ ~....;,, | !!„' cl.vl :■.!! i.l -•»« Il |»l L.ie v.iods. ll'i, :..u:l.i I" ,'llee.ed !.y i ... , N ~; !,.,,,; ■ I'll, if w.aild I"' ii" i.Hjrf- , {,, |,,;,,,. i'..i fairly long I.mid- I" ~,.., |,.,,,,,, 1,..;,;- tl ■-■■-< mi il" I" Hlf'lM il" 1 ii -.,,-! and -iiikinu i'"i"l payment- ils v5', , .u1.1"1',,' , - .'':.• Tal :■• ■.:n..r.l agam-l if 11/,.,,',.,,.,;,'. _ ;, wuiil.l !.,• mv -siry infill- ;..; 11 ii ■ ;11 ;11i r: 111 ■• > \N |.--i IM \ ! I. Hl' <"■-'!'

- h would 1..' ; uninl th.il such priL,,, ~r il, U ,-..i.1,l I- iid.UII.I-tcrod ii! ii |,,,|,tlv lower ,0,l than ill,. -. «i" .••••v ,-1..-,re,Hl u-nalh i" : ' I»''™i* l'"^" 1 " 1 •• ,„., ;!,„; w ..u1.l l.:ir.ll> In- i-n'.-l, "• '•' ,',., :,. view <-f il.,- foci Hn.l thn ! LiiminVi-u-fs "I' ill'' I'l'l'l' 11 " u; "' ,l: "' "' "'"' || l "" , i;;.j\.:^. , .',V-V ,, 'i;.'.u;'' 1 »".' s i , ; tii J i s li .;;;.;;. v'i!,.:" ,w tiu'v- n>..> ' , 'i«- , .i"p.-iy«»>i P'.'M'^i- ,;,,„• 11m- 'pr..!il -ii i« I'nviit.- l-'*pii=«l a ..' . ' nil.-,, .vpivsr.nl>. practically

j!. I. : piil.ln' h".**!"" 1 p . , . ~„,,;,, per.ontage '•< vni-iml I > '■ ' . , .;,,.. when -,, kites- i> grPiit"! lil.'i'l •' ' ' - , • ...j_ t,~c

| ",'" ' ' ~,;,. vl,..Pi, = the private hnsr 1 ':"; v.. 5„i»,;... >.,• mwU r..u. =.t.

have to turn patients away at times; in«." private hospital provides neither the equipment nor stall' of a public hospital—there is no stipendiary modical

.-tail, drugs mill ilressings. are 11 <> t givcii 1'..-, and the nursing staff is not tc. be

i iinipared witli that of ;i public hospital either imiiierieallv or in point of view . training, whilst their board and quartering i- iiftcn not to be compared "itli thai iif ,-i well-regulated public hospital. Diiulitless the public wards of a public hospital could be run ;jt a smaller cost than at present, but ii"t t», sin-li a great ..Jen' as would be Hie case if they wore .'in purely :is busiucM: concerns with no < -'Xinisance of the needs of the com >i>ii nit \

The opinion of many business men nith considerable hospital experience .. :|i.u ii would he a difficult, task to make private wards pay .it the fees usually charged by private hospitals. Apparently .1 would cost al least £8 8s ii week i.. eover the full rust, including ...I overhead charges. in view of the eiuht hours system for nurses, and other factors to. be taken int" consideration, and tin- only if the wards were cohstantl\ lull, and there were no bad debts.

THK nivi'i.orr i-iosprj'AL ' l\\cn :i hospital designed for paying patients liy siii-h :i skilled administrator :s I lei.iv K.iml does not appear :,. be able to pay il- way at less than ;li,.' above rates. It is understood thai Mr. Ford does n<>t desire to obtain any mteresl on the capital outlay <>f his hos pital at Detroit, bill merely thai, the patients shall pay sufficient, to cover , 1,1 rent expenses. The room charges for board and nursing service vary from A: t,- 8 dollar- a day according to whether the patient shares a room with others <>r has a private room with a hath. " In addition, he pays from 21 to 70 dollars a week for medical service, according I" I ho nature of his case; and i here are other charges for X-ray. radium, and special nursing if required. Tim above charges would not. include atn fees for medical attention; and on the assumption that, freedom "f choice wi ii!,l he left to ihe patients to avail themselves of the services of the stipendiary staff of the hospital, or to engage. their own medical attendants, provision would require to be made for a. scale of fees in addition to meet, the cost of the medical service rendered by the hospital. Ii will be noted, therefore, that the ~.:i «,f. treatment for a. person "f but

moderate means would bo somewhat ► tiff, but the idea universally behind the establishment oi private wards is nob so much to provide facilities only for fho wealthy, but, also for those who. though not substantially well off. are willing to pay the full cost of their treatment, which, in the public wards, they would not do. The. suggestion that, the fees in the private wards should be made high enough t,. provide sufficient profit to pay 4he loss "ii the public wards seems dlogical. a.- u would mean that the cot.t would be spread over quite a small proportion of the community, and would be borne, by those already unfortunate. enough to have to far© the. expense of sickness of their own. whilst the person oi mean- who has no hospital bill to meet would escape all contribution."'