Evening star., 1945-03-25
Auditor Urges
New GdI|inger
Collection Plan
Points to $75,154
Collected Out of
$291,435 on Books
BY CAMBRIDGE CRIST.

the commissioner presenting
seven-point program for overhaul
ing the machinery for collection
of fees from nonindigent patients.
He said it was apparent to tn
layman" that so-called emergenc
and semi-indigent patients were be
ing admitted to an extent whicl
conf1icted with admission of indi
gents and that the Commissioner
should consider placing medica
officer In charge of the Hospita
Permit Bureau, which has the re
sponsibility, of determining tn
financial status of patients. TIL
head of the bureau is Douglas n
West.
Nineteen patients who had beel
paying at Gallinger have paid moth
ing since their transfer to Upshu
Street annex for tuberculosis con
valescents and an additional 10 ou
of 81 paying patients to Glenn Dal
Sanitorium have contributed moth
ing since their transfer to Upshu
Street, Mr.. Pilkerton said. Collec'
tions at Glenn Dale have been owe
so per cent of the amount due be
cause of "closer control" the audi
tor added.
One "Indigent" Had $4,000.
'1t is reported to the auditor,
said Mr., Pilkerton in his report re.
leased last night, that a former
patient at this hospital UpShul
Street, exhibited a $1,000 War Bone
and had $4,000 in cash, although hi
was carried as an INDECENT 1t i
also reported that % patients being
cared for at this hospital are either
working part time or full time in
private employment and are being
cared for as indigents."
During the period of October
1943, to December 81, 1914, wher
4,500 payment agreements were
made, Mr.. Pilkerton said that of the
s75,154 collected, s60,244 came from
the business Office of Gallinger ano
$4,000 from the special financial
unit of the tax collectors Office
which handles delinquent ACCOUNTS
During the same period" the
report CO ..inued, "S11 ,497 was can
celed by be Hospital Permit Blu.
reau and e Commissioners, leaving
S205,l 1852 Unpaid on December 81
1914. AS only S76,212 in delinquent
accounts was referred to the special
unit, it is apparent that
that unit has received only about
25 per cent of the total cases, many
of which go back one, two and three
years, or to a time when it is next
to impossible to locate the patient
or collect the amount due"
Many Have Incomes.
AS for Upshur Street, which Com
Guy Mason charged had
been turned into flop house" and
"occupational therapy boarding
house." Mr.. Pilkerton declared the
report of field examiner appears
to justify the conclusion that pa
tients who are being treated al
Upshur Street Hospital have con-
siderable income, many being gain
fully employed"
Mr.. Pilkerton explained that pa,
patients may be admitted to mu.
nicipal hospitals if such admissions
will not interfere with admissions
of INDECENT patients" although
emergency patens may also be ad.
mitted. He added:
The Commissioners order Cor
payments of March 13, 1943, has
given the health authorities no enc
of difficulty in determining who is
and who is not an INDECENT person
or the person responsible for such
patients care.
"The schedule of rates of family
monthly income is a most difficult
item to arrive at. Certainly wher
the patient ceases to work in private
employment his income ceases. The
amounts bear no particular rela-
tionship to the actual cost of the
patient and the schedule should be
modified to conform more nearly tc
the actual cost to the hospital.
Semi Monthly Bill Plan.
1T is our opinion that patients
should be billed semimonthly dn-
stead of monthly as at presen0 while
in the hospital and before the pa
tient is released some definite ar
rangement be made whereby the
account can be paid within a reason
able time"
Mr.. Pilkerton said it was apparent
that the accounting procedure be-
tween the Hospital Permit Bureau
the business Office of the hospital
and the special financial unit should
be improved,
The specific recommendations o.
Mr.. Pilkerton follow:
l. That the Hospital Permit Blu.
reau establish at Gallinger an ad.
mittance and discharge Office suffi.
GENTLY stated through which al
patients gaining admission to tn,
hospital be cleared and certified a.
eligible for hospital care.
2. That the business Office be suf1.
GENTLY stated to maintain a recoro
OF all admissions and discharges
together with the amount due from
pay patients.
Delinquent Accounts.
3. That all delinquent account.
not paid in accordance with agree.
ments, and which remain unpaie
Tor 80 days after delinquency, b.
reported to the special financia
unit.
4. That the Commissioners revise
the schedule of payments ito more
nearly reflect the actual cost o.
hospital care" to include certain ele.
ments not now provided and to es.
tabllsh a schedule of fees to b,
charged for out-patient care.
5. That the Hospital Permit Bill
reau make payment agreements witt
Upshur street patients able to pa,
and that all transfers from munic.
ipal hospitals to Upshur Street b,
cleared through the Hospital Permit
Bureau and that contracts for pa,
patients care be forwarded to tn,
business office at Gallinger.
6. That all accounts found uncol
lectable by the special financial uni,
and the permit bureau be reported
to the Commissioners for cancella
tion through the auditor.
7. That the business Office main.