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June 24, 2005
Get well soon.... That'll be 5 bucks
The decision by United Hospital to start charging 5 dollars fee for the delivery of flower is a serious issue not only for florists, but it should also be an issue of concern for everbody in the state.
United Hospital officials send letters out to florists requesting a $5 fee for the arrangements of flower deliver each month at the hospital. The hospital officials said the new fee will serve as a compensation for volunteers who supervise and deliver the flower to the patient room. According to the hospital, each month about 600 flowers are arrange and deliver to the patient room which is costly for them.
On the part of local florists, they said they will pass onto the customers the extra cost. Some local florists officials said that any thing that deter people from sending flower to love ones in hospital will be troubling because studies have shown positively that flowers can have an impact on people.
Another point that was brought forth by the hospital authority is that many of their paid employees do take responsibility in making sure that flowers are deliver by volunteers. One official said for many years they have absorbed the cost and now it's time for paid back in order to run that department. The official went on to say that when flowers get lost, they replace them and also they get to finish the job of local florists by making the final delivery to the patient room.
startribune
Comments
based on the huge outcry, the hospital reversed the policy the very next day after it was reported in the Star-Tribune.
Posted by: Sno Cones at June 24, 2005 3:04 PM