Board of Directors Meeting, November 9, 1950 Page 2.
Dr. Hayden--"They append three thousand a year on advertising in newspapers alone, spend money for elections, etc., and sometimes employ six or eight girls at a fairly decent salary to help mail out letters. This is what they have net after spending a large sum of money for rent."
Dr. Hugh Thompson--"The basic money making part of it is that a properly run collection agency can make money (35%)."
Dr. Harry Thompson--"I think we cannot compare our county with Alameda. We are trying to combat socialized medicine. A good collection agency, and there are some here, only gets 10%. I for one would personally hate to present to our Society an agency which will take 35%. I think this would be done more easily by spending our money for local things without getting involved in a collection agency."
Dr. Donald Lewis--"If collections can be made in the proper way it will help public relations. It is one of the reasons the patient wants socialized medicine."
Dr. Harry Thompson--"So you will put it into the hands of the Society, and the same adjustments will be made. I do not think we are ready for this."
Dr. Rudolph--"I think the problem is whether we have enough men to support stating it."
Dr. Hugh Thompson--"1. The demand for socialized medicine obviously spurs from economic factors and bad public relations. 2. The worst part of the financial public relations are the accounts which remain unpaid. These are the people who go around spreading reasons why they do not pay, forgetting that they owe the money. It is the job of the county society to clear this up in the minds of the patients."
Dr. Hayden--"The young doctors over there think they are doing a marvelous job. The way they said Donovan took over and the improvement shown was remarkable."
Dr. Steen--"Certainly public relations are important. Social service is also important. Money making is another thing. I do not like the Society going into a money making business."
Dr. Hayden--"You are going to pay money to a collection agency to collect your bad debts."
Dr. Harry Thompson--"Actually you do not. You do not pay them."
Dr. Farness--"The public relations angle-this will then be a self-sustaining unit."
Dr. Lewis--"It is the patient who does not pay who gives you the worst publicity."
Dr. Harry Thompson--"Let us no set up a collection agency. We said we would have a grievance committee. I do not want any part of a collection agency."
Dr. Newcomb--"I move that the Board of Directors recommend to the Society that this mater be discussed before the Society and further action taken."
Motion seconded by Dr. Harry Thompson.
Dr. Cogswell--"If Mr. Donovan could come over it might be well to have him talk about it."
Dr. Hayden--"The idea is to get it all stirred up and then set the date in the future and have him over."
Dr. Lewis--"What the members will want to know is a definite cost per individual."
Dr. Kohl--"The initial cost in smaller communities is somewhat higher."
Dr. Steen--"It will probably cost around $20,000.00 to get it started."
Dr. Hugh Thompson--"If the Society is not in favor of the basic principles then we might as well not go ahead with it. Advertising is the last thing we will do."
Dr. Steen--"It is a matter of public relations we are interested in. Is it necessary to have a collection agency?"
