The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-29

eeon, and anaesthetist and pay them
the usual fees or such prices as are
satisfactory to them. 1 don't tell the
patient of this arrangement"
Practice Is Bad.
Or. Z. r. churcheI submitted the
following statement:
Fee splitting Is bad proposition
end hard to eliminate | am opposed to
it. There is danger that it commercial
fze the profession. I don't know of any
bf 1t In this community.
Charges should always be made
plain to patient. The family physician
should be adequately paid but his bill
should be approved by the family or
the patient"
Or. Richard schiIIinser said:
Fee splitting is an individual right,
I suppose. l won't do it. 1 don't believe
any reputable surgeon would do it.
There is none of it going on to my
knowledge.
II don't believe in it on principle. No
reputable physician or surgeon will do
1T. don't believe a practitioner should
arrange to pay the surgeon; let him
present his own bill"
Sees No Harm.
When approached on the question,
DR.. W. L. Misener made the following
statement: y
'If physician in charge of a case
calls the help of specialist and shares
the responsibility with the specialist
of the outcome of the case and they
want to charge a joint-fee with the
knowledge and consent of the patient,
! can see no harm. But | am opposed
% 1A- I~Hx y1I1x ,fx,fo
and surgeon. have heard of such con-
tracts being made here but have no
immediate, first hand knowledge of it."
Dr.. j. n. Thurston said:
81 am opposed to any division of
fees unless the patient has a clear I'M
derstanding of it. am opposed to any
kind of secret fee division and over
charging patient in order to have
fee big enough to divide.
Some very definite and circumstan-
tial rumors of fee splitting have come
to me purported to have taken place in
Richmond but l am not prepared to
make definite accusations.
Fee splitting of the secret type is
unfair and dishonorable both to patti
ent and the profession"
Isolated Cases.
Or. A. L. Bramkamp: THE secret
division of fees by surgeons and ply
sicians tends so inevitably to unwor-
thy and dishonest conduct on the part
of those engaging in it that the little
that can be said to justify the practice
has no weight.
'As far as my knowledge goes the
practice has not been engaged in by
the medical profession in this commu-
nifty except perhaps in isolated in
stances"
Or. r. o. Morrow: "It is deplorable
and greatly to be lamented that such
a disgraceful thing as fee splitting
has gradually assumed such proper
tons in the profession. Publicity is a
valuable aid in it's prevention. State
legislation should be enacted to check
the procedure"
Opposes Practice.
Dr.. Chas. Marvel: Il have been do
ing surgery in and around Richmond
for several years and at no time have
I split a fee or given to a doctor who
referred a case and assisted me in the
operation larger fee for his assist
ance than l have paid to the doctor
whom l have called to assist in my
own private practice. l am opposed to
fee splitting"
Or. NJ. r. Johnston: 81 am unaltera-
bAy oppoSOu W lCC opllltihSS anu lhih n
1t degrading to the profession and dan
gerous to the public believe it is 60
ing on here at this time but am unable
Of course, to give names and dates"
Dr.. Edw. 3. Marley: LAS l have
only been in Richmond for a short
time my work naturally has been linn
tied. During this period I have not
split fee nor offered anything as an
tnducement."
Or. c. S. Bond 81 don't know how
much of it is going on but from evil
dence and observation there seems to
be some. Surgical cases are now often
bought and sold to the highest bidder
in the open market, very much as
stocks on exchange, without regard to
life or limb. Medical men will send
cases where they can get the highest
Zee in return from surgeons, who thus
Solicit their work"
Dr.. L. r. Ross: 81 always have been
opposed to fee splitting"
Dr.. J. I. King: Il think it degrading
70 the Profession. l can't say how
much of it is going on except from
hearsay but there are many rumors
abroad. Every fee splitter should be
expelled from the society"
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