New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-19
WELCOMES FREE PATIENTS
st. Luh,e's Managers in annual Re-
port Reply to Criticisms.

The annual meeting Of the board Of managers Of,
ST. Luke's Hospital was held yesterday afternoon
In the hospital building. President George Mac
culloch Miller presided. The forty-seventh annual
report dealt some length with the criticisms
which have recently been aimed at hospitals in this
city. to the effect that the institutions were averse
to receiving free patients and that the energies OF
the various hospitals were devoted to the building
up Of private wards and the creating OF special
medical and surgical departments.
The report states that in its history has 81.
Lukes Hospital refused to accept patient because
of his inability pay hospital fees It IS declared
that, measured by hospital days. 739 per cent OF
the work carried by ST Luke's for the year COW
cred by the report was free. The following IS the
report dealing with the free and private ward
phases of hospital work:
Patients are classified as free. part pay and full
Free patients are benefciaries of endowed or
annually supported beds received on me recon-
mendation OF owners of beds Of PHYSICIANS. SleIyy
men, parish visitors and upon personal appheasion
PART art pay patients are those who are unable to
meet the expenses of private room, out YET VINO
DatfaP1f is mil nav patient. The maximum amount
received from any ward patient is ~ ." a. ~ +ha
R3enr Phi tbe natiant NAV be able to pay.
us E,II 9 natia1ts are those who occupying pr-
vate rooms and pay according to the size OF me r9o
they occupy the amounts varying from su1cient
TO cover he cost of their maintenance and care
to amounts beyond this cost. ANY pront accrui Ing
Increase OF the fund used for the care OF free pa
tientS hOSDital Full pay patients aASO 49,
a fee to the physician surgeon attending them.
except in cases where such fee is waived because
OF the bilty of the patient TO pay II; Out IN no
case does the hospital pay such fee.
For the year Just ended 1873 per cent or the WORK
as measured by hospital days, has been nee
Never in the history of the hospital mas 81 EakeF
refused admission to patient because OF nls ms
bility 10 pay Sometimes, however TO our proLouIa
regret we are obliged refuse ADMISSION 20
patients for want of a vacant bed ana u Is .nis
fact that causes earnest appeal from time %
time. for increase in our income wnieh wcuIa
enable open additional wards for the use or
free patients.
None of the wards are designated as free wards
or ''pay wards" Patients who pay nothing ana
those who pay something placed IN the same
wards, ana the treatment. the best We arc
patients the physicians and surgeons give their
services without remuneration
II was thought the Margaret J. Plant Pav1aon
would be ready for occupancy this autumn, PUG
nv reason of strikes and other obstacles the open-
ing of this pavilion will have to be postponed until
some tirne in the early part OF the next csIenoAr
year
The gifts and legacies received during tns year
made total OF S9631 "a. The difference between
the receipts and expenditures has been E3S g. The
expenditures were S91 s4s o. OF this amount sz q
was devoted to dispensary work and SS,sSs was er-
pended caring for private patients; tne pTlVaSs
natieuts however not only paid their way, bufs OF
the money received from thern' surplus "aS uS-
voted to free patients. ...r. x,.s
THE net cost of the treatment for e5.soS nosplea1
DAYS of ward patients was H37,l59 So Per capita
cost per dav of about 81 The number OF pa1ienes
admitted during the year was ISIS; so wero re-
fused admittance for want or room