HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1929, Page 8

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

Two opinions in regard to. hospital administration have been given recently from authorities entitled to respect. The executive committee of the New Zealand Hospital Boards’ Association, sn revjeweing the suggestions'to alter the method of financing Jiospicals in order

that the burden of rates may fall less heavily upon rural districts, maintains that so long as adequate accommodation at the hospitals and adequate means of transport of patients from the country are provided there seems no reason to alter the existing system of finance Since that opinion was published the Director-General of Hospitals (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) has returned from an international conference of hospital authorities, which has left him convinced that in New Zealand hospital administration is on right lines, and that in fact older countries might with advantage adopt some features of the system in vogue here. These opinions are satisfactory so far as they go, but there may _ he some disappointment that the Hospital Boards’ Association was unable to indicate any manner in which the increase in hospital costs may be arrested without in any way reducing the efficiency of the institution. There seems nothing in the remarks of either authority that should interfere with the proposal to hold a further conference between the local authorities from whom the Taranaki Hospital Board derives its revenue. If the total amount to be provided must continue to increase it may be possible to find some way of altering the incidence of the rates or taxes in order to meet the views of residents in the country districts. It certainly seems desirable that every avenue be explored with this end in view.