Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1961-08-04
Nine Hospitals In
DeIatUnre Spend Millions
On Free Care
CONTINUED from page one)

(contlnueu from page one)
patient per day-an increase of
$4,000 over last fiscal year.
This county money can only be
used for INDECENT patients con-
fined to beds. 1t does not apply
to the free service in emergency
wards or clinics-and increasing
ly. free service in these areas is
quite extensive.
On the other hand, the four hos
pitfalls in southern Delaware -
Kent General of Dover, Milford
Memorial, Nanticoke of Seaford
and Beebe of Lewes-are getting
100000 from their respective
Levy Courts this fiscal year.
1t is obvious, therefore, that
county appropriations for the sick
poor in hospitals don't approach
the cost.
In addition to county sources,
the hospitals get money FROM the
General Assembly. At present, all
the hospitals in Delaware are hop
ing the General Assembly this year
will make $1.035,0O0 available for
the current fiscal year.
This money is allocated for
maintenance, equipment and OPP
Grafton of the hospitals on the
basis of $3.50 bed.
During the last fiscal year, the.
General Assembly's appropriation
to hospitals was $1,067,0
Although the states appropri-
alton is for general functioning
of the hospitals, most of them are
forced to use it to write off the
cost of the free treatment for the
INDECENT. Even after this money is
used, balance of more than ST.
100000 remains for the hospi-
tails to meet
Patients who get free service
in two categories:
1. Patients who have no income
at all and 2. Those who have in
come but whose resources are not
large enough to meet their bills.
For example, man who is hos
pitalized, may find himself run
ming up a bilf of S1,000-far be-
yOnd his ability to pay il all. So.
he pays what he can-and the
remainder is marked off to free
service.
Griffith explained most hospi-
tails make sure to give every pa
tient a bill, whether he can pay
any of it or none of it, so that
the patient will know exactly
what his disqualification cost-and
what services he received.
Naturally, our first concern is
to treat the patient. On an emer-
gency basis, a patient would be
put to bed as soon as possible and
treatment started. In the mean
time, of course, the credit depart
ment checks and we make every
reasonable effort TO collect our
bills"
With new methods OF care and
treatment, new drugs and medi-
cines. the length of stay of all
patients in hospitals is being re
duced. and this applies to pay
ing patients ard free patients.
This is one reason for the in
creasing costs of disqualification
for the new methods are far more
expensive than the old ones.
The average cost per patient
per day in hospital in the Will
mington area is estimated at $35
per day per patient
"Of course, it varies according
to the patient and his Illness"
Griffith said. There's really no
such thing as an average or
normal patient in any hospital "
This average $35 per patient
a day cost includes bed, meals.
general nursing, maintenance of
quarters, medical service by the
hospital and general use of hos
pital facilities.
1t is also true that a great
many services are in operation
for a patient that he never sees.
THE patient" Griffith points
out lis in a room and comes
i'm contact with just a fraction of
the personnel required for a mod
ern day hospital-aand sees moth
ing of the supply rooms and the
labs. Yet all this and lots more
are necessary -"