HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16896, 8 July 1918, Page 4

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

PAYMENT OF FEES BY PATIENTS.

The financial administration of hospital boards was discussed by the Hon. 0. W. Russell, Minister in charge of Hospitals, on Saturday. Ho said thero had beon general protests this year against the ' large increase in the Jovies upon local authorities by hospital boards, notwithstanding that most of the largo boards were borrowing for capital expenditure, instead,of making levies as used to be tho case. In two hospital districts Wellington and Hawko's Bay—the contributing authorities had made emphatic protests against their levies, on the ground that they were excessive undor clause 44 of the* Hospitals Act. At a conference of the parlies concerned, the Minister explained to what extent the cost of hospital administration had increased since the war began. He went into the question of the collection of fees duo by patients, and urged the boards to lay down a policy on the following lines: — (1) That those people who absolutely-can-not pay should have their accounts at onco written off; (2) that those persons who can pay a portion but not the whole of their fees should be. given time, in order that they may gradually liquidate the debt; and (3) in those cases whero persons can, but will not pay, no consideration whatever bo shown to them. After a full discussion at both conferences the contributing authorities resolved that they-would not make further protest aeninst the amount of their respective lories, which, tho Minister has now' approved for the current year.