Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-19
Hospitals in Chicago;
How About It in Omaha?
: American Journal Of Chemical medicine.

American Journal Of Chemical lasdioins----
4 ONE time ago. at a gathering Of medical men,
- when the conversation turned upon hospitals,
~ brilliant young obstetrican OF this city, who has
large and growing practice both hospital and private
said to me that barring exceptionally we'll
equipped and wellconduced establishments he would
rather have his patients under his in a
ably appointed home than any hospital in the city
Naturally. this rather sweeping assertion aston
ished me- and asked him for his reasons They
very simple. and very tersely and forcefuly given
He declared that the average hospital a good
deal OF deusion; that to have patients in II
gave one false sense Of security which the actual
state OF the case did not warrant; that naturally
relied upon hospital affordIng equipment facit-
tiles and service which, matter OF fact, It did
afford; and that In emergency
likely 10 be left IN the lurch than he would be in me
patients home where the attending physician him
self was sure to foresta such occasions.
disposed to think. at the time that my
friend exaggerating little; that possibly he was
fresh from some dsagreeabe experience at some
particular hospital. and. like David he said in his
haste. "Al are liars"
However. kept all these things in my heart and
pondercd on them. kept my eyes and my open.
likewise my mouth. for made quiet inquiry here
and there among both physicians and laymen who
were In position to know something about the mat
ter and must confess that the result OF my still
investigation is TO persuade that my friend the
obstetrican was not talking in any hyperboc terms.
but spoke forth the words OF truth and soberness.
dislike very much to critcise an institution such
as the hospital. That sentiment however. is Just
OF the things that Is wrong the whole stu
alton As institution the hospital IL surrounded
with halo OF sanctity that to exempt every
individual establishment from ordinary twentieth
century standards Of efficiency. and every
body from venturing even well meant word of criti
cism or suggestion
The truth is-one gathers It. not alone from his
own observations, but from the Irresistible
OF other mems eNperenCe--the hoapital n
very msmanaged and northumberland affair. Just
where the fault lies, we are not now induirng. We
may inquire into that later. the present we are
concerned only with pointing the deporable fact
fact which really needs pointing out to those
who have anything to do with hospitals.
The service, from the patients standpoint is
than a Joke. It's culinary department Is a thing to
make angels weep; II often makes patients swear
and, incidentally. starve. IL really seems that all
the hospital furnishes the patient for his s25 or 800
week Is. room to sleep in and meals that he would
kick about in a four-dolar-a-week boarding house
The trouble is. Of course that the whole instit,.
ton. far the service is concerned lie a training
school; the kitchen. cooking school, and everything
IL done by the cadets; the result patient being
much tho same az getting shaved In the clinic Of a
BARRIERS COLLEGE The only why he there IT,
because his doctor tells him to- and the only
he stays is, because he cannot get away. 1t would
do no good to change. anyway. since all hospitals
about alike In this respect
All this however annoying as Il ,s Is OF minor
Importance beside unsatisfactory state OF affairs
from the physicians standpoint-by which I mean
the medical aspect of the patients interests which
are In the physicians keeping 1t lie very largely
my obstetrcal friend said.
Virtually every hospital, presumably every doc
tor knows. is dominated by a clique; infreauentiy
by one man. This man. the members OF the
controlling clique. all the there is to be
got and the other physicians get what ia left. l.
myself. only few weeks ago denied the use of
the operating room in a certain Chicago hospital
for good-paying patient because at the hour
wanted II the boss surgeon of the place would be
holding clinic the amphitheater and would demand
all the available nternes and surgical II
admitted that he dd not need them all but he re-
dured their presence.
My own opinion is that hospitals need more pub
LEFTY. They altogether too close corporations
do not mean that the lay public should break in and
control them. The medical profession must OF course
be in control What do is. that i'm their serv-
ice to the doctor and his patient they should
jeced 10 the standards OF competitive eff
cheney that the modern physician himself sub
ject TO.
This Is a matter In which the whole medical pro
fession is responsible 70 the public There is crying
for reform in hospital management and conduct:
and It is the business OF organized medicine to
| TO Il that such reform is carried out.