HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1920, Page 4

HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT.

DISCUSSION BY GREY BOARD

At a meeting of the Grey Hospital and Charitable Aid Board held yesterday, consequent upon a letter being received applying for a reduction in hospital fees a discussion ensued regarding charitable aid and hbspitnl'fees in. general. Mr Hannan said that the • position was the same respecting maintenance accounts. People would apply for a reduction of the fees and the Board did not know the applicants’ financial or domestic position. He moved: “That in regard to all applications for remission of fees the Secretary should •supply a report at the next meeting of .the Board.” The motion was carried Mr Irvine said that the cost of living was advancing, tlie ratepayers were overburdened, and the people were hard put to pay their hospital accounts. Air Williams said he was not satisfied with the wiping off of all accounts. The taxpayers were feeling the nressure of so much tax, and it was piling up all the time. They would have to adopt some other method of collecting accounts, and enquiries should ,be ; made when tlie patients were leaving tlier’Hospital. If the patients were interviewed at the hospital regarding their ability to pay they could get flip accounts paid off even if it was only at 10/- or £1 a week. Air Hannan said they .should get a permanent secretory stationed at the Hospital and somebody to make enquiries and provision regarding payment of accounts by persons leaving It would be a great saving in the expenditure if they had a secretary at the hospital to collect the accounts and to check the commodities of the Hospital. It was no use wasting my further time about it. Tlie Secretary (Air Fletcher) said that, since he had been in office there had been more accounts collected than ever before. Air Greaney said that. he felt satis r fled that if the Secretary were instal-, led at the hospital it would mean a' great saving in time and money. Air Irvine said that if the Secretary were stationed at the Hospital 1 the affairs could he run more, efficiently. The Chairman stated that he had advocated this for many years, but at present there was no fit office or building there in which to instal the Sec- , retary. He was quite satisfied that it would be a move in the right direction and a big saving to the Board and the ratepayers also. Air Greaney moved 'that the whole of the Hospital Board visit the Hospital that afternoon.

The motion was carried. Dr Johnston said that ever since he had taken over the position he had thought that the staff would have to be together to run the instituion on proper and efficient lines. The discussion then ended.