New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
HOSPITAL REFORM PLAN
REPORT OF COMMISSION.
Fauors Establishment of q Ne1o Cafy
Department.

The commission appointed by the Mayor on jan
nary a. 1906 to plan for the reorganization extern
sion and administration of the public hospital sys
TEN in this city has just completed its "orA- II"
report went the Mayor yesterday
Recognizing that the public hospital facin'ies -
are Inadequate and that the ambulance service -
chaotic the commission up Its hnoinss Os
recommending that the charter be aInenceo 10 PiO
vide for a Department of Public Hospitals aunlih
istere6 by commissioner appointed by a ooaru u
trustees The conflict because of the present ti
partite management and the delays frequently pie.
with In the ambulance service with the DIVISION u
responsibility, make this change in hosptai eoh-
troll the commission says. great necessity.
The report declares that there never has been an
attempt to place ambuances with reference 10 con-
venience and speed. And whether the amouiahoe
responds or not how long 1t takes. what the con-
diton of the patient NAV be when ne arrives
whether and when 1t brings him into It's own nos
pitaI or any other, and also when and Whetner u
becomes ready to respond to another caH' are a..
matters of no apparent concern to any parucuai
Official and not covered by any law, rule OF reg ui
ton. The lack of wisdom in the alignment oi am
bulance districts is pointed out. but attenuon -
called tn the fact that the Police Commissioner
does look after the service ex-oficio. but that uh
satisfactory work can only be punlsneo OS 'o
away the district from any hospital
The division of hospital control Is mace the SUI
ject of drastic criticism. but not so OF the men III
charge 1t is the system. rather the lack OF IT.
that is denounced The departments OF Pubic
Charities and Health and the trustees OF beneVue
and Allied Hospitals nave JurlSulCllOH- ii'i' -
diction often conflicts with resultant poor service
This new department, the report says, snoulo
have charge of the ambulance service aIso anu VI
course existing public hospitals, sanatoria IN
frnaries and ambulance relief stations ana shouiu
also have authority to extend the hospiIal eS''
as rapidly as means are granted for that purpose
1t Is recommended that the CoInnhsslohei
Health be made member of the proposed Ooaru u
trustees and that the board appoint commute %
three from its membership TO have supervision Oh
the hospitals for contagious diseases with the Coill-
missioner of Health chairman ex-ofrcio OF tne
COMMITTEES The commission does not want the
police powers of the Board of Health ana lts du
thority over contagious diseases impaired oy "ha'
ever new, law NAV be enacted meet the recon-
mendations
Possible complications were seen by tne eoin
mission with the Department of Pubic Chariues'
but IT is believed that ways and means can DC
fo,d 70 rer,ovs the relatively bodied inmates
of the BIackweIls Island and Flatbush institutions
of the department to the farm colony al Fleniiio"
or 10 some other suitable place
In Blackwell's Island the commission sees
splendid site for hospital park when the present
institutions are removed. and in Randalfs Island
when the feeble minded and idiotic patients tnere
are removed to the new institution at Thlels'
in Rockland County. a site for hospital PARK Ior
children that would meet every requirement
The report recommends the extension OF the saiia-
toriuu at OtisviIle; new buildings at BlackWells
Island; the early completion of the sea we" nos
pta on Staten Island the extension Oh the puohc
hospital system of the city more rapiuIy' 'he ca
tension of the general facilities of the City HOS
ptal the expediting of the work on the new Beiie-
ye; extension the facilities of the Kings CouhS
HOSPITAL at FTatbush district hospitals IN
BROOKLYN; early construction of public hospitais III
Queens and Richmond; the use of the property oL
the city for the building of new ambulance reiei
stations wherever required
As to the general ambulance service the report
favors the direction and control Of II in eacn Dor
ough by a bureau: ownership by the city OF am
balances horses and all the apparatus needed tne
bureau to have power district the city and 10
have further powers complete control OF the
service
Among the rules proposed are:
The natient to be transported to the hospital 70
which the ambulance may be attached e1cept nc
in emergency cases where another hospital having
provision for the care of such patients Is nearer
at hand he be carried to such hospital IN 'ne
event that the patient desires to be removed u
his own home that course may. IN the ulscreCon
of the person in charge of the ambulance De lol-
lowed ,, .o CO.. chs
transfer of patients from hospital to another
and for the carrying of non-emergent cases from
private residence to hospitals Upon this service
should be imposed the duty of calling for any pa,
tient Immediately upon the request of hospital
and of transporting him such other hospital as
NAV be designated to the hospital making the
call the may be
Edward NJ. Grout is chairman of the commission