The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-10-07
Public Say Hospital
Is Well Managed
Second Returns On Poll Show
Big Majority Favor Enlarged
Facilities At County Hospital.

Big Majority Favor Enlarged
Facilities At County Hospital.
General agreement that the Wash
ington County Hospital is efficiently
managed apparently exists through
out this area.
This conclusion, drawn from re-
turns to date in poll of public OPP
inion being conducted in Hagers-
town and nearby communities that
the hospital serves, highlights the
second poll analysis made public
today by Stanley p. F. Kline, pres
ident of the board Of trustees.
Mr.. Kline reported that 70 per-
cent of those replying to date gave
affirmative answers to a question
which asked: 'From what you
know or have heard, do you think
the hospital is managed efficiently"
Noting that serious overcrowding
at the Washington County Hospital
has made efficient operation very
difficult, Mr.. Kline observed that the
high rating given the hospital
management by the tested segment
of the population indicates a highly
gratifying understanding of the eff
fort which all those connected with
the hospital are making to produce
maximum results with facilities
which are extremely limited.
The response to survey ques-
ton concerning charges made to pa
tients for service, show that the vast
majority voiced the opinion that
they are reasonable. Seventy-nine
out of every hundred of these re-
plies describe the hospitals charges
as "fair," and seven more call them
low or 'too low" Only 18 per-
cent say the charges are too high.
Discussing opinions expressed in
the replies on charges to patients,
Mr.. Kline observed that the cost to
the hospital of everything which
goes into its service" has risen sharp
ly in recent years. Like any fam-.
lily or business" he said, ethe hos
pital has had reason to understand
what increased costs have meant.
1t is gratifying to learn from these
early poll results that the people
the Washington County Hospital
serves understand the financial
problems confronting it."
Only Al percent of those whose
replies are included in today's sec
ond tabulation believe the hospital
can pay for necessary enlargement
out of the income it receives from
patients, Mr.. Kline noted. He said
the poll results to date show SO out
of every hundred understand cor
rectly that income from patients can
be applied only to operational ex-
penses.
Gas a matter of fact" he pointed
out, charges to patients actually
fail to met the overall costs of day
to-day operation, exclusive of the
service made available to patients
who can pay little or nothing"
A direct question concerning the
attitude of nurses and attendants
toward patients, disclosed that 88
out of every hundred replying, stated
that it was kindly" Only IL per-
cent found it indifferent"
Those who are filling out ques-
tionnaires in the opinion survey are
continuing to take advantage of the
invitation to include voluntary and
frank comments on any phase Of the
hospitals service. The following
are typical:
very well satisfied with serv-
ice received when my son was born.
Prices seemed fair"
81 do think when a person pays
as much as they do at the Hospital,
they should not have to be put in
the halls"
81 have been a patient at the
Washington County Hospital and at
three leading hospitals in Baltimore,
but for myself 1 will take the Wash
ington County Hospital everytime
for service and kindness"
81 think Washington County Hos
pital should be kept large enough
so that you are not crowded under
normal conditions. It should have
the very best equipment available
at all times"
IOuiS Nav Fight Again