Hospital Executives Devise New Services

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 947, 14 April 1930, Page 10

Hospital Executives Devise New Services

SCHEME DRAWN UP PROVISION FOR PATIENTS Important resolutions affecting the medical and administrative system in force in New Lealand public hospitals were passed on March 6 when a conference of medical men and hospital board executive members was held at Wellington. The details of the conference findings, up to the present, have been withheld in Auckland, but the following report appears in the editorial section of the New eZaland Medical Journal: “On Thursday, March 6, at Wellington a round-table conference was held on the subject of hospital policy. There were present ten chairmen of hospital boards, representatives of the Health Department, and representatives of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. The medical representatives were Dr. Elliott, Sir Louis Barnett. Dr. Wylie. Dr. Acland, Dr. Washbourn, and Dr. K. MacCormick. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy. Minister of Health, addressed the conference and. inter alia, said: “In 1910-11, the number of beds provided in public hospitals was 3.218, or 3 1 per 1,000 of the population. In 1928-29 the corresponding figures were 8.457 beds, or 3.8 per 1,000 of the population. • The average daily number of ocr upied beds increased from i. 9 per 3.000 in 1910-11. to 3.7 per 1.000 in 3928-29. The number of in-patients annually receiving treatment has increased from 25,191 or 24.1 per 1,000 in 1910-11, to 87.888 or 59.8 per 1,000 in 1928-29, an increase relative to population of no less than 148 per cent, in IS years. INCREASED SERVICES The out-patient services during this period have developed at a still greater rate. In 1910-11. 18,867 out-patients received treatment at public hospitals as against 73,952 in 1928-29. The gross annual maintenance cost of public hospitals has, in the same period, inc reused from £200,691 to no less a sum than £ 1,206,190 for last year, disregarding indirect expenses and also expenditure on district medical nursing and ambulance services. "Per head of the population, hospital maintenance expenditure, gross, was Ss lid in 1910-11, and 16s 6d in 192829. These are gross figures of maintenance cost to emphasise the extension of the public hospital services, do no ttake into account recoveries in the form of patients’ fees. “It might be mentioned that patients’ fees collections amounting (sic.) to some £45,000 in 1910-11. while for 1928-29 over £350,000 was collected from this source. “In this connection it is particularly intresting to note that the annual amount now received from patients is nearly double what the annual maintenance costs of hospitals was 18 years ago. However, the fact remains that provisions of public hospitals, including administrative expenses and interest and depreciation charges, involves a burden on local and general taxation exceeding £1.000,000 per annum. TEN RESOLUTIONS

“The deliberations of the conference resulted In the passing, by common consent, of the following very important resolutions, which were submitted to the Hon. Minister for his consideration. The resolutions are as follow: “1. That all members of the community requiring treatment in hospital be eligible for admission to public hospitals. “2. That patients in public hospitals who need, because of the nature of their illness, accommodation other than in the larger wards, shall be provided for by an adequate number of one to four-bedded wards. “3. That patients voluntarily availing themselves of such special accommodation shall pay tjie full cost of maintenance, including overhead expenses, provided that no distinction is made in the case of patients unable to pay. “4. That the medical attendance of patients be in the hands of a visiting staff with the assistance of a requisite number of resident medical officers, the foregoing not in any way to interfere with the administration of the hospital, or such powers as are already vested in the medical superintendent and the stipendiary staff. “5. That each hospital board must determine the number of the visiting staff, but it should be recommended that, in arriving at a decision, the board shall consistent with the convenience and the smopth-running of the institution, appoint as many of the medical practitioners residing in tlie district as possible. “6. Subject to the approval of the board, that the right of attending their own patients admitted under resolution 3 be extended to all practitioners except such as may, for special reasons, be deemed unsuitable. CONSULTATIVE BODY

“7. That, in making appointments to the visiting staff, and in determining the suitability or otherwise of practitioners for the privilege of attendance on patients, the hospital board should be guided by the advice of a special consultative body or, in the case of the smaller hospital districts, by the advice of the Director-General of Health. “8. That such special consultative body comprise the consulting staff, if any, of the hospital or, in other cases, should comprise the senior members of the medical profession of the district, selected by the hospital board. *9. Patients unable to pay the ordinary hospital fees shall be attended by the visiting medical staff in an honorary capacity. •TO. Patients entering the hospital, able to pay for medical attendance in addition to maintenance fees, shall make their own terms with their medical attendant, who will be responsible tor the collection of his own fees. • Note. —Some modification may be required in connection with the Dunedin Hospital as being an integral part of the Medical School of the Otago University."

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