p. 18 | Sanitarium Relief Campaign by L. A. Hansen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 7, 1910

Sanitarium Relief Campaign

By L. A. Hansen

The Business Side of Sanitarium Work

That there is a business side to our sanitarium work should not be ignored. It is essential that we recognize it fully, and give due consideration to its requirements. At the same time we must remember that our sanitariums are not commercial enterprises, and their work is not to be conducted on a merely money-making basis. Nothing could be more detrimental to the spirit and life of any missionary work than to perform it for the sake of money. It is a veritable contradiction of profession and works. If our sanitariums are not really and truly missionary enterprises, real factors for the extension of the work of God in the earth, they should not be reckoned as a part of his cause, and they have no excuse for existence.

There are a number of things that must be taken into account in considering the earning capacity of these institutions. Many workers are needed in order successfully to conduct the work of an institution where the sick are its special care. This force of workers can not be readily or easily reduced with the occasional drop in patronage, as it is made up mostly of responsible heads of the departments and workers in training, who either can not be spared or are dependent upon the institution for their support. A salary and wage list is necessary in order to pay this company of workers.

There must be a store of provisions, suitable and sufficient for the varied needs of patients, guests, and workers. The entire building must be kept well heated most of the year, and this makes a fuel bill of unusual size. Expensive medical supplies must be provided. The ever-growing interest account is often more than equivalent to a large rental bill. Countless other expenses swell the list, and make it necessary, under the most favorable conditions, to plan carefully in order to make the income meet the outlay.

Conservative estimates have been made of the average cost of caring for patients, based upon normal patronage. In an institution in one part of the country it is $16.25 a week; and in one in another, $23.50. With others it will range between these figures or lower, depending somewhat upon local conditions; but in all it is more than one would estimate it to be if he figured on the basis of his own home living expenses.

The regular rates of some of our sanitariums run as low as $12 a week, or even less, for board, room, general treatment, and medical attention. These rates are usually subject to a liberal discount to physicians, clergymen, missionaries, and all Seventh-day Adventists. Special concessions on prices are often made for cases requiring it. The general care and treatment are the same, regardless of rates. We therefore can not judge the earning capacity of a sanitarium on the basis of the highest rates given in its catalogue.

Business Methods Essential

With the many interests involved, careful attention must be given to the business management. The institution would be recreant to its own interests, and to those of the people and cause it represents, if it did not do its utmost to follow consistent business principles. It would be subject to reprimand for poor management.

The institution must guard carefully its rate standard, its source of material existence: indifference or carelessness in this respect will be disastrous to its income. It must protect itself against abuse of its discount privileges; it must see carefully to collection of accounts for services rendered; in general, it must look after its business in a businesslike manner. This part of its work may sometimes seem contradictory to its profession as a missionary enterprise; but as long as it is done in a Christian manner, it is consistent with that profession in every way.

It is probable that at no time would we have had large sums of money to give outright to the relief of our sanitarium work, and at the same time do what we have done in other lines. And the call now made is not for donations of cash. In the present plan of relief there is given us a simple means of rendering efficient help. Without drawing on our own resources we can, with only a little effort on our part, bring to this work the financial assistance that perhaps we could never give to it directly.

L. A. HANSEN.