Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-19
Joint HOSPITAL
OPERATION URGED
FOR EFFICIENCY
District Bureau Recommends
Merger of Columbia and
GalIinger Institutions.
BIG EXPENSE SAVING
is CLAIMED POSSIBLE
Relief From Charity" Classifca-
ton of Treatment Declared Bene-
fit Under Proposed Move.

The Bureau of Efficiency yesterday
submitted to the District Commissioners
two reports, recommending a merger
of Columbia Hospital for Women and
Lying-In Asylum with Gallinger NUM-
cipal Hospital, and admission of full
pay and part pay patients to the gen.
eral wards of Gallinger Hospital, now
restricted exclusively to charity patients
The psycopatic ward of Gallingef
Hospital at present admits patients
who pay part or all of the cost Of their
treatment, but additional legislation
will be required to extend this system
to the rest of the hospital Similar
legislation was passed for Freedmen's
Hospital in 1918.
AS to the merger Of the two institu-
tions. the report states that Columbia
Hospital is operated as a private insti-
tuition, although the land, buildings and
a major portion of the equipment be-
long to the Federal and District gov
eminent.
Joint Ownership.
The Federal Government owns the
land, the buildings were paid for jointly
by the District and Federal Govern
ments, and the hospital was equipped
from funds similarly contributed. The
District appropriation act includes
yearly an item of $4,000 for heating
the hospital, and an item of $15,0 900 for
elevators was recently appropriated.
These funds for heating, repair, re-
placements, ETC., are subject to the
usual governmental auditing, but the
funds derived from charges to patients,
either as to receipt or disbursement, are
solely within the discretion of the board
of trustees. During 1926 approximately
$4,000 was collected for services.
No reasonable explanation has been
given, the report states. for the deficit
which Columbia Hospital has been in
curing in past years. Before the House
appropriations committee In 1928 this
was stated to be $4,000.
Means Of Saving.
BY merging Columbia with Gallinger,
the report goes on, many items of ex~@
psnse could be saved to the former in
stitution. Nurses in training at Gal
linger could be used at Columbia at
greatly less cost than is incurred now
by the use of nursing staff composed
entirely of graduate nurses; savings
could be made in purchase Of supplies
through lower prices, less storage, and
easier distribution should the hospital
be brought within the scope Of the Gov.
eminent supply service as unit of
Gallinger Hopital: the laundry at CAL
4AlBCI COuIu easily dOcUIU LIE lduIlQIY
work at Columbia, and the prison labor
at Gallinger would easily absorb any
extra burdens imposed; sewing room
service at Gallinger is adequate. with
but slight additional expense, to take
care of the sewing for Columbia; gen.
eral administrative expenses for Column
bia could be absorbed by Gallinger with
but small additional personnel.
Columbia Hospital received from the
COY11r11lYT1ftxT Taoef THE taa ear~Sa Of
$4,000, the report states, referring to
the contribution as nothing less than
a form of community taxation" Infer
entially, this subscription would not be
sought after the merger, although the
report does not say so in so many words.
BY coordination with Gallinger, the
report claims, the use of beds in Column
bia could be increased from the present
average OF 70 per cent to IS per cent.
Found Municipal Aid.
The growth of washington In past
years, the report says, has definitely
established the need of a municipal
hospital, particularly one for women and
children, In the western section of the
city. Gallinger, on the extreme eastern
edge, Is five miles from Georgetown.
On the matter Of allowing fun or part
pay patients at Gallinger, the report
says that this is in line with the best
hospital practice all over the country.
1t would give an opportunity to persons
OF moderate means, who now have no
choice between serious financial drains
at the private hospitals or the stigma
of pauperiSm at Gallinger, to receive
excellent hospital service by paying for
1t only its actual cost or such portion
of 1t as they are able to meet. It's
effect on the hospital would also be to
improve morale and to take away the
usual associations of the phrase charity
hospitaP'-poor equipment. low morale
and consequent poor treatment of pa
TENTS Numerous and lengthy extracts
are quoted from reports of prominent
hospital authorities all over the country
to this effect.
The reports were made by A. @.
Thomas and r. w. Maxwell, investi-
gators of the bureau.