Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-22
DELAWARE HOSPITAL
OPERATED At LOSS
Report of T. F. Bayard, President
of Board, Calls Attention to
Needs of Institution.

The annual report of Thomas f..
Bayard. president of the board OF trustees
of Delaware Hospital, read last night at
the annual meeting, is a call for help for
the institution TO enable it TO perform
the duties expected of it by the public.
After commenting on the operating costs
the report states;
s'No hospital today in the country
is able TO so conduct its affairs from
its income from pay patients, It's income
from endowments. and its income from
contributions, so that during the year
1919 it did not run behind. Ii is quite
alarming when one reads so frequently
in the press the efforts being made in
every city throughout the country where
there is n hospital for assistance in largo
measure To meet the situation not only
IN the present but in the immediate
future
Il, therefore. venture 80 suggest
that the trustees during the coming
year make IL their duty to thoroughly
0cqualn themselves with the condi-
ton et he lospital, its method of accom-
modatl MS, It's accomplishments, and
its needs - that armed with this nlorma-
tlon, they may present 10 the citizens of
our community the worthy appeal for
assistance, which we must have il We
sf4t " ititsltl AIlE ditt anu tpAbAtAt ~ ttit
sufferers in our community which our
community depends upon us to render,
'"The necessity Of the hospital reducing
IFS free. says the report, Is reflected In
the report of tho chief resident physician,
and from this report. call your attention
to certain details While the total days
service of both free and pay has been
reduced by > ,461 days. and the free days
service has been reduced hv G.232 days,
the pay service has increased 3. It's days
This last item is perhaps best explained
by stating our financial inability 10 afford
greater number Of free days service and
the increase of the service rendered IN our
maternity department which at all times
during the past year has been crowded
with patients and their little ones 1t IS
interesting tn note that the number oi
persons admitted 10 the Hospital during
the past year increased by li0. So that
while we were compelled to cuTtail our
care of free patients. the total number
If sick and injured persons was greater
than that Of the preceding year
The cost Of operation IS still most
serious one, and the situation is beng
met by the Trustees with 4 great deal cf
anxiety and care with the hope in the
coming wear VIC NAV he able To do two
things. first 10 administer the hospital
within our income; and second, TO pay
off as much as We can Of the debt which
was incurred during tho wear 1919 The
treasurer s Ieport, which is now before
YOU. shows a loss III operation Of SAL 7
%, for the wear 1919 This from patient
examination Of the method of almnistra
tion, the Board of Trustees feel that
during the coming wear many expenses,
which were necessary during the past |
wear, need not again ho incurred 50 that |
II we are able by rctrcnchmcnt "a como |
ont ahead during 1920, II Is hoped we will |
md means 10 paw OH the Indebtedness |
which was incurred Already during tho |
ast few months Of 1919. We have 50 shaped |
affair. Of the institution that the income |
and outgo are nearly equal
Conferences are now beng arranged |
for looking towards arrangements with |
both the City Council and the lew /
Court. whereby pay as YOU q system |
NAV I've introduced, 50 that when person |
unable TO pav Is admitted from the !
county, the LEVY Court viii paN pcr diem !
per person, and likewise the City Council |
viii pay per diem for the persons admitted
from the CITY who are unable to pay
At present. the CITY Council contracts
with the hospital for services IN an amount
not 10 exceed three thousand dollars.
but at the present cost oi operation, the
same is used IN in q few months with
the result that the hospital in according
aid and assistance to the sufferers has done
% at a financial loss II, as above sug-
gested. agreement can bc made with the
city and county authorities to pay .
stipulated per diem, tho hospital will hc
enabled 10 take care Of moro people and
come ont even financially. We are, also
with the several industrial
plants in the city and county that We Will
not accept at the hands oi the officials
IF these plants the persons injured thcrcat,
nless the plant management agree to pay
: per diem during the term Of the hospital
reatmcnt for these patients The Della
ware Workman's compensation Act only
provides for a payment covering
Teriod of two weeks, and very frequently.
I he patient Is in the hospital IN excess of |
this period Inasmuch as the law pro |
Vides that the employers shall only he |
responsible for two weeks medical service. |
he hospital, unless under tho arrange |