THE ISLAND'S public and private hospitals say they will have to pass on the cost of processing blood to patients because they do not have the resources to absorb it.
Two weeks ago, the National Blood Transfusion Service said that it would start charging hospitals $3,000 per unit for the processing of blood as of July 1 as part of its attempts to boost operating revenue. Previously, public hospitals were not billed for using the services of the Blood Bank.
While not challenging the fee, hospital administrators insist that they cannot absorb it because of increasing operational costs and a limited budget.
However, they say that those who cannot afford the cost will not be turned away. "No patient will be turned back," emphasised Owen Belvett, Regional Director of the North East Regional Health Authority, which is responsible for health facilities in St. Mary, St. Ann and Portland.
"An increase like that would impact on those who come into the hospital to use the service," emphasised a matron at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kingston, who asked not to be named. "It would definitely increase the amount of money they have to pay."
Her sentiments were supported by Dr. Yugeshwar Misir, Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Associates Hospital. "We are a private hospital so we ask persons who are receiving blood transfusions to underwrite the costs of the blood. S]o whatever the cost is, we will bill it back to the patients," he said.
He added that the trend in recent times, however, has been to cut down on the number of blood transfusions because of the cost of the process as well as the spread of Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV) which leads to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). "So we are only doing it if it's absolutely necessary," he emphasised.
According to Verlie James, CEO of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Montego Bay, the increase cannot be comfortably afforded because it wasn't factored into the current budget. Although admitting that his hospital had been told of the coming fees "for some time now", Mr. James said an introduction of the fees would affect overall costs.
"It's going to put us into a little spot in that there are patients who access services and are not in a position to pay, yet the service is required. The hospital would have to undertake the cost (so) it will obviously increase operational costs," he said.
Karl Davis, CEO of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), told The Gleaner the hospital could also expect increased operational costs for the same reasons as Cornwall Regional Hospital.
, because "40 per cent of all patients are assessed free (which) means that of all the patients who request blood, 40 per cent would be free".
Mr. Davis added that UHWI, which was previously being charged $1,500 per unit of blood, would also be forced to "increase the portion which is passed onto the patient".
