Evening star., 1897-02-22
DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS
An Important Report Made to the Medical
Association.
An Effort to Regulate Difficulties BE.
Connection With Hospitals.

The committee on hospitals Of the Medical
Association submitted an important report
at Its last meeting. touching hospital
abuses. 1t will be recalled that q report
upon the subject was presented some weeks
ago to the association, which set forth
at length the alleged abuses practiced at
tie several hospitals of the city. In this
report 1t was stated that a vast number
Of patients treated free at the institutions
were able to pay. Upon the receipt Of this
report a special committee was appointed
to further investigate the subject and SUBJ
nit recommendations. This report was
made at the last meeting of the associas
ton and unanimously adopted.
Among other things the report recon-
niends that all patients applying to hospi-
tails for free treatment must have writ
ten certificate of their inability to pay, the
certificate to be issued by the physicians to
the Toor the superintendent OF the Asso-
ciated Charities or any practicfng phys1-
clan. This rule Is not applicable TO emer-
gency cases, and the report provides that
such cases picked up on the street must be
carried to the nearest hospital having an
emergency service, or to their homes. II
they or their friends so request Emer-
gency cases must be kept only so long as
Is necessary on account OF safety and tnen
sent to their homes or some other hospital
Physicians treating patients In pay rooms
of hospital the report recommends, must
demand fee for such service unless 1t be
clearly shown that the patient Is unable
to pay.
1t is right here the committee asserts,
that the greatest abuses existed. Patients
we'll able to pay for professional services
take room at one of the hospitals and
undergo treatment or extensive operation
without additional pay.
Perhaps the most important feature OF
the report is the recommendation con-
cerning the management of hospitals
governing the management of a hospital
have dictated the tenure of Office of the
professional staff. Favoritism has been
charged and time and again 1t has been
stated that personal antag onism to some
physician has operated to his disadvantage
and resulted in an impairment of the serv-
ice. The report takes this matter entirely
out of the hands of the board and prac
tically makes 1t impossible for the lay
board to make any changes in the profess
sional staff unless for good and sufficient
reasons. In this connection the report
recommends that should 1t become reces-
sary at any time for the staff or the ma
tortty of a staff of a hospital to resign on
account of difference with the board Of
trustees the matter shall be investigated
Dy the standing committee, and If the as
sociation find that the resignation was for
good cause, then no member of the Medical
Association shall fill the vacancy so
created
This practically means that should a diff
ference arise between the lay members and
the staff in which the former were In fault
they would have to satisfy the disgruntled
staff or the hospital would be without a
medical staff; for by the terms of the re-
port no member of the associa tion can fill
the vacancy. The report provides further
that should member Of the medical staff
OF any hospital be dropped by the lay
board. and the Medical Association finds
after investigation by the standing COM
mittee that such member was dropped
without Just cause, then no member of the
association shall take his place Under the
provisions of this section, the doctors say,
1t will be impossible for lay board to set
tie any personal scores with Individual
members of the medical staff
Such rule has long been under consider
alton by the association