THE Alfred Hospital’s fundraising arm has resorted to a letter drive to raise more than $50,000 for lifesaving emergency room equipment.
Former patients are among those on the Alfred Foundation’s marketing database who have been sent letters seeking donations of $15 by May 5.
“Although the government provides us with the essentials, there is always more that can be done,” the letter says.
Alfred Health spokesman Corey Nassau refused to say how many copies had been sent out unsolicited to patients, but said fundraising drives to help public hospitals were not unusual.
Mr Nassau said the foundation’s database included former patients of the South Yarra hospital, whose contact details were compiled when they filled out paperwork.
He said while they were not required to opt-in while filling out their admission forms, patients could choose to opt-out later if they did not want to receive correspondence.
But Health Services Commissioner Dr Grant Davies said patient information collected for a primary purpose should not be used for a secondary purpose, such as fundraising, unless this was made explicit at the outset.
Dr Davies vowed to act on any complaints.
Cash raised will be used to buy a high-resolution x-ray monitor, a neurosurgical patient monitor and a bronchoscope.
The monitor will enable doctors and nurses to closely watch patients who have suffered a serious head injury, while the bronchoscope will be used by medical staff in the intensive care unit to examine and treat a patients’ lungs and airways.
The fundraising drive comes as pressure mounts on the Federal Government to reverse $80 billion in cuts to health and education in next month’s Budget.
An Australian Medical Association report into public hospitals this month revealed every state failed to meet the target of 80 per cent of emergency department presentations seen within clinically recommended triage times, or 30 minutes for category 3 (urgent) cases.
But The Alfred, which has Victoria’s busiest emergency department, bucked this trend, with its 2013-14 annual report showing 82 per cent of triage category 1 to 5 cases were seen within recommended times. Figures from the final quarter of 2014 showed 83 per cent of patients were admitted or discharged within four hours, above the state average and national targets.