The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-10-21

A fourth analysis of the poll of
public opinion being conducted in
this area, made public today, indi-
Gates that little more than half the
residents of Hagerstown and neigh
boring communities know that the
board of trustees of Washington
County Hospital receive no COM
pensation for their services.
In announcing the latest results
of the survey, Stanley P. F. Kline,
president of the board of the hos
pital, expressed surprise that such
a large minority of the population
hold the erroneous opinion that
some remuneration is paid to the
board members.
Mr.. Kline revealed that II per
cent of the residents whose replies
are included in this analysis be-
lieve that the trustees are paid def
mite salaries, Is per cent think they
receive discounts on their bills and
"a per cent have the idea that they
are paid for their services in some
other manner
Actually" said Mr.. Kline, "the
only remuneration members of our
hospital board receive is the salts
faction they find in serving the resi-
dents of our community by seeing
that their hospital is administered
efficiently"
The question concerning the meth
cd of meeting the cost of free and
below-cost care given by the hos
pital brought varied replies, con-
tinued Mr. Kline. Of every 100
missionaries returned thus far, Al
expressed the erroneous belief that
the greater part of the money for
this service comes from payments
by Washington County. Only 30
per cent answered correctly that in
come from endowments or trust
funds meets the largest part of this
cost. The remaining 20 per cent
thought the hospital was compen-
stated largely by annual contribu
lions by the public, profits on care
of private patients, or grants from
the Community Chest
Few people realize" Mr.. Kline
explained, that the interest earned
by our investment fund must bear
the greatest part of the annual def
cit which is brought about by the
free and below-cost care the hos
pital renders to patients unable to
pay. The state, the county and the
city, with sympathetic understand
ing of the problem, have increased
their appropriations, and although
of invaluable assistance in helping
to meet the deficit, they total less
than the funds derived from our in
veStment account. Although Chill
dren's Hospital is an agency Of the
Community Chest, Washington
County Hospital has never received
funds from that source nor sought
annual contributions from the pub
lie. 1t is essential to maintain our
endowment funds at their present
level to meet the annual deficit, and
income from them cannot pay for
any substantial new construction"
He went on to say that even when
a patient at Washington County
Hospital pays ''in full" he pays on
ly for the services he receives, and
no part of his payment goes toward
the cost of equipping or enlarging
the hospital.
ct is in this way" he said, "that
a non-profit, voluntary hospital diff
fers from money making business,
such as hotel, where one pays a
part of the cost of construction in
his bill"
The voluntary spirit of the COM
munity, he pointed out, was further
exemplified by the latest results of
the survey, which indicated that "a
per cent of the residents favor APP
pealing to the public for contribu-
lions to meet the cost of running the
hospital when income from patients
and all other sources fails The hos
pital president reported further
that only two out of every 100