The Washington herald., 1918-03-09
HOSPITAL HEAD
EXPLAINS NEED
FOR CAMPAIGN
Institution Gives Free Treat
ment to Emergency Cases
and Merits Support.


I'VE believe the Emergency Hospital
has the confidence Of the public, ana
when our citizens are fully Informed
of the conditions which confront u.
the necessity for the maintenance fund
will be appreciated and the fund lib
orally subscribed to-"
This comment IL contained In
statement issued last night, through
the Emergency Hospital maintenance
fund committee. prepared by Wood
bury Blair, president Of the board OF
directors of the hospital. Mr. Blair
deals with the status Of the hospital
as a public institution, serving tie
city Of Washington. and performing
a needful work for the community.
Public Institution.
THE Emergency Hospital is a public
institution, and Is, therefore. entitled
to aid as a public charity" Mr.. Blair
says. 1t IL q private institution only
to the extent that patients who can
afford to pay for rooms and board
are charged for the same; the money
received from this source is used for
defraying the expenses Of the patient
from whom 1t is received. and II there
Is any surplus-which . seldom the
case-it is used toward defraying the
expense OF those patients who pay to
the institution much less than the
actual cost Of their maintenance, and
those who pay absolutely nothing. And
the fact that there Is deficit in the
maintenance funds shows conclusive
ly the extent of charity work done
by the hospital.
mo charge is made to any patient.
rich or poor, for the professional
services of the physicians on the
house staff and the institutional nurs-
es who are on duty day and night
in the wards and on each floor Of
the hospital. When patients prefer
to have their own physician and spe-
cial nurse. the payment for such serv-
ice is an arrangement between the
parties and is not a matter in which
the hospital has an interest.
No Discrimination.
'In the treatment of private pa
tients no discrimination is made in
favor OF the attending stan of the
hospital: all physicians and surgeons
of good standing in the District are
allowed to attend private patients in
the hospital, and every facility Of
the institution is placed at their COM
mAnd.
"As for as can learn, the physi-
clans Of this city irrespective OF any
connection they may have with other
institutions. are appreciatiYe OF the
courtesy always extended to them at
the Emergency Hospital and of the
endeavor OF the hospital to assist
them in every way in the discharge
of their responsibilities to their pa
tients.
1T is the endeavor of the directors
of the Emergency Hospital to Sc
cure the most up-to-date methods of
management and economy without i'm
pairing the efficiency of the institu-
ton: and to further this end. the
directors invite. from time to time,
Investigations and suggestions of ex-
perts of national regulations as 10
business method and management Of
the hopital
'In this connection, DR.. winford H.
Smith. superintendent of Johns Hop
kins Hospital. made a careful and
thorough examination OF our system
Of purchasing. accounting and man.
agement. And while his report con-
| tanned a number of useful sugges-
tions, his high commendation and ap-
| 7roval of the management, efficiency
AID economy was most gratifying to
the directors"