By Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter 
Richard Pandohie (right), general manager of IGL Limited, presents computers to David Dobson (left), acting hospital administrator for the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and Anthony Wood (centre), acting operation manager at the KPH, on Wednesday. - Rudolph Brown/ Chief Photographer
THE KINGSTON Public Hospital (KPH) is warning ex-patients, owing in excess of a hundred million dollars, to settle their debt or have an encounter with a bailiff.
"The institution has been experiencing great difficulty with compliance levels with our clients with regards to payment... we are going to be seeking the assistance of a security company in collecting the outstanding amounts," David Dobson, acting hospital administrator told The Gleaner.
This, he said, is expected to come on stream in the next two or three months "when we are better able to rely on data that can be forwarded to the security company." He also added that dragging delinquent customers before the courts was an option available to the nation's largest hospital.
Mr. Dobson explained that the hefty sum, which is owed by more than 50 per cent of its clientele, spans the period January 2002 to December 2004. In October last year, the hospital implemented a Business Unit to improve the collection of revenue and customer service that has already reaped ripe fruits. "Since the implementation of the unit we have been able to benefit from economies of scale..." explained Mr. Dobson.
MANUALLY
Previously, the billing and collection process was done manually. However the advent of the Business Unit has brought technology to the table and, as a result, they are better able to pinpoint the people who owe them money. Complementing the Business Unit is a Receivables Unit that is responsible for tracking outstanding monies.
Moral persuasion has been the hospital's major means of endeavouring to collect their due a tool that has obviously failed, as up to four years ago the debt stood at half of what it is today.
"We are imploring clients of the institution to understand that health care cost a lot and resources are limited and their part is integral to ensure that the institution can maintain the provision of quality services to the public," lamented Mr. Dobson.
Mr. Dobson warned that if the delinquency persists, "sooner or later all that will be left is shell."
