By Rayon Dyer, Gleaner WriterBLACK RIVER, St. Elizabeth:
THE BLACK River Hospital, St. Elizabeth, is owed some $1.8 million for 2001/2002 by patients who used its services during the period without paying. Hospital officials are appealing to persons who owe the hospital to pay up so that it may continue its work.
Paulette Elliott, senior administrator at the hospital, told The Gleaner that patients who had left and had not returned to pay, owed $1,844,650.
"Based on advice from the Ministry of Health, this institution is not in the practice of turning away patients, whether they are in a position to pay or not. We have never done it before and we have no intention of starting this practice," Miss Elliott said. "One of the ways in which we are trying to get persons who owe the hospital to pay, is by sending them reminder letters on a periodical basis and encouraging them to make payments in instalments which would help to reduce their overall balance."
Miss Elliott said that "the hospital would do well in recovering this money, as it would help us to widen the scope of services we offer at the institution. It would also help us to maintain the image of the hospital, whether in the operation department, the X-ray department or any other department of the facility."
