The frontiersman., 1954-12-23
Financial Situa on Al Local Hospi| ] Discussed by C cup


 The board of directors of the Valley Hospital Association, Inc, met with the medical staff aud various leaders of the community or Friday evening, December r, in the lobby ard conference room of the Valley Presbyterian Hos- pital. Miss V. Louise Kellogg, president of the board of direc- tors, conducted the meeting.
 Jasper Skok, membership chairman, drew attention to the associations annual meeting which will be held Tuesday, Feo- ruary IS, He also mentioned tie pamphlet, This Is Your Hospital" which is being distributed in the community and stated that mem berships in the association are now on sale, at the lowered rate of S2.50 The lower rate was st to enable both husband and wife to join the association at the same rate as previously paid for Individual membership. Member ships may be purchased from any of the board members, at the hospital desk, or by mail, using the coupon attached to the pam phlet.
 The financial situation of the hospital was reviewed by Lloyd Morley, hospital administrator. He stated that although the laos pital is by no means ready to close its doors, there has been a general downward trend in all departments of the hospital, so that a serious accumulation of ac- counts payable has resulted. Un- less means are found, he said, to counteract this trend or to collect the amounts due, the hospital might be in the same financial positions as the Anchorage and Fairbanks hospitals have found themselves.
 Bad debts at the Valley Presby- terian Hospital that had to be written off as "uncollectable" to- ; tai S7,006.77, according to figures . presented at the meeting. In ad- { dition, a total of S5,75556 in ser vices rendered must also be con- sidered a lost sum. The money represents the difference in ser wees rendered and amount paid by Alaska Native Service, Alaska Department of Health and the Territorial Department of Public Welfare As an example, Morley pointed out that Alaska Native :. Service pays but Sl4.00 per day. Hospital room rates of Sl7.00 per day, plus medicines, X-rays, and other attentions, soon run the hos pital into the red on such pa- tient. Various other losses were pointed out and discussed by the group, At the present time aoa counts receivable total S31,442.s 7b, the naJorlty ot Whcn are over ,9o aayS past due.
 Ii was pointed out that through better medical care and finer hospital service, the average pa tlent's stay in a hospital has been shortened the past few years.
 ,M1S Kellogg stated that the sere>ees of the hospital were very fine, and the staff unusually cap- able and pointed out that if these were to continue to be of the present high quality, three things would be necessary: CD Legisla- rion on both the territorial and federal levels to enable the gov- ernment agencies to pay the full costs of their patients. @ A pos sible endowment, or other local financing. (3) An increased num- Der of patients.
 In the course of the evening, many ideas were brought for ward, but TO definite conclusions were reached. As a result of the meeting, questionnaires will be sent to each service organization in the valley, as guide for sug- gestions to be communicated to the hospital board. I
 Suggestions were asked from those present, with the following receiving the most favorable dis cussions: A hospital guild, to act as a service organization and fund-raising body. A local revol 1 wing fund or insurance program, l Increased rates, or the reduction