DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 17 August 1911, Page 3

DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS

DISCUSSION BY HOSPITAL BOAItD. THE l'KOl'l.Ks RIG-HTS. It is not often that a list of accounts to be paid is provocative of debate, but the one local exception to this is the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, where the appearance of a claim by a doctor for so many guineas as fees payable to him as "extra doctor" at surgical operations in the hospital never fails to draw a broadside from somewhere. Tlie trouble in days gone by was that the doctors could not be prevailed upon to send in the accounts regularly, but allowed them to mount up until the amount to be paid was fairly considerable. Thi« evergreen item appeared 011 the monthly accounts at yesterday's meeting, and was the means of provoking an irregular discussion, in the course of which an important pronouncement was made concerning the relations of the medical men with the public hospital, and the reports appearing from time to time that the medical men were sending patients to private hospitals instead of to the public hospital, the alleged reason being that this was better for their own pockets. On this occasion a local medico sent in an account for fifteen guineas, and information was asked for. The chairman explained that operations were performed in the hospital hv the medical staff without charge. In the event, however, of it being nev nun to have more than two doctors, a charge was made for the third doctor, who received one guinea if the operation lasted for an hour or less, but. two guinea;; for more than an hour. These iees were chargeable by the Board to the patients. Mr. Maxwell: No more than that? The chairman: No, only two guineas, even if the operation takes all day. Mr. Maxwell said this was an excellent arrangement. In reply to a further question by Mr. Maxwell, the chairman said that if a medical man sent a patient into the hospital, and himself performed an operation upon the p-itient there, the doctor could not claim a fee from the Board or from the patient.

Mr. Maxwell wanted to know if there was anything to prevent an inmate of the hospital being attended by his own medical attendant, and was assured by the chairman that this could always lie done provided the . consent of the medical superintendent were obtained. Mr. Maxwell asked whether, in the event of a specialist being called in to operate, this man's fee would have to he 'iaid by the Board. Mr. Bellringer said that in the event of the medical superintendent deciding thai the services of the specialist, were alio lutely required, lie would engage him and commit the Board to payment oi tlie fee. But the Board could not take up the position of having these ex pensive men called in just at the whim of the patient. In the event of a patients wish to have an operation performed by his or her own doctor being acceded to, that doctor could not charge, the patient for an operation performed in the hospital, nor would he have any claim upon the Board. Mr. Maxwell said it was freelv slated that patients who had a right to expect treatment at the public institution -were being sent to private hospitals on this account.—becau-e they were unable to make anything out, of patients at the public hospital.

The chairman said the Board had no evidence that such a practice existed.

Mr. Maxwell: Personally. I'm satisfied it doen. lie asked what there was to prevent him going to the public hosnital, being treated by his own doclor. and rising him. The chairman said the Board could not dictate as to what a pa Lieut, might, do privately, but the doctor had no claim upon a patient for treatment in the public hospital. That was very clear. Mr. Maxwell said he had his reasons for making all these inquiries. Mr. Bellringer paid a tribute to the services given by Mr. W.vlie as medical superintendent. * The position, lie eon.sidered, had never been better filled. The speaker had so far not known of a single ■ease in which Mr. Wylic had used a private hospital to the detriment of Hie public hospital. He was a splendid disciplinarian, too, and a business man. He emphasised the point that anv arragements as suggested by Mr. Maxwell must have the sanction of the medical superintendent, whom alone the Board held responsible. The secretary said that in the engagement of a specialist at the recommendation of the medical superintendent the Board would not consider the patient's ability to pay, but. make the saving of life the only consideration. Upon a question being raised as to the liability of a certain patient for payment of a fee for an e\tra doctor as anaesthetist, the patient herself saying that only two doctors were present at the operation, the records showed she was mistaken. Mr. Lepper said that sometimes the patient saw only one or two doctors before being anaesthetised, and concluded that they were the only men there the whole time, when there might have been four or five doctors present.

The chairman again had occasion lo assure the Boaril that ho hail not vet heard a complaint that the medical superintendent had placed his own pocket paramount to the hospital or used a private hospital to the detriment of the public institution. Statements to the contrary effect m ; ~H he mi'le. hut unless the people making them were preypared to come forward and substantiate them the Board need take 110 notice of them. Mr. Wylie was giving the Board faT more than they had a right to expect, and far more than he was paid for. He was very conscientious, spending long hours at the institution, and giving of his best.

Mr. O'Sullivan asked how the BoaTd could prevent a patient making a payment to a doctor after leaving the institution, and the chairman said that could have nothing to do with the Board. He mentioned, however, that Dr. Leafcham, when acting as medical superintendent, had returned a £2O cheque forwarded to him by an ex-patient.

Several members of the Board expressed their pleasure at the statements made by the chairman, and the further important announcement was made that every resident of the hospital district, whether rich or poor, and any doctor's advice notwithstanding, was entitled to admission to the public hospital and to his treatment there. This was the policy of the Board, as it always had been, and its enunciation once more might serve to remove doubts from the minds of the people.