Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-24
SURVEY ASKS LIMIT
TO HOSPITAL AID
Chest Funds Should Be Used
Only for Community Charges,
Says Report.

Washington hospitals which are men,
bers Of the Community Chest should
be reimbursed by the latter body only
to the extent of actual costs to the
hospitals Of patients for which the
community is responsible, according to
the final section of the health and
hospital survey Of the District Of Co
lumbia, completed yesterday by the
Health Committee Of the Washington
Council of Social Agencies.
The survey disapproved the present
method Of reimbursing the hospitals to
the extent of making up their entire
deficits, where the deficits are more
than the actual cost to the hospitals
in handling those patients for which
the community is responsible.
The survey also recommends that
hospitals be urged to pay proper at
tention to the collection Of accounts
and to take advantage Of the various
methods Of "pre-payments" for services
in certain instances, such as In the
maternity service. It also urges that
they take advantage Of the deferred"
payment plan, said to be proving sue
cesSful In medical centers.
Scope Of Survey.
The survey made by the American
Public Health Association for the coun-
Gil under direction of its Health Com
mittee, includes many specific recon-
mendationS for hospital operation, en-
bodying various hospital and auxiliary
departments. The complete report Is
to be made available for sale and dis
tribution and a summary of 1t is to
be given at luncheon Of the council
in the Y. w. C. A. Building, next Mon
day afternoon at 1890 o'clock.
The recommendations In the report
are divided into groups.
Under the head of Intern and Resi-
dent Staff" it Is suggested that hos
pitfalls be encouraged to meet the re-
QuirementS for approval by the Council
of Medical Education and Hospital for
intern and staff training. In this con-
nection 1t urges that intern training be
heightened, with two months training
in a division as a minimum and that
there be one or more full-time resident
physicians, with four or more internS,
in each hospital.
In the report 1t is urged that hos
pitalS own equipment of X-ray labora-
tories and that they furnish the neceS-
Sary personnel and equipment for oper-
ating them. Also that the hospitals
render bills and assume responsibility
for collecting them for this service from
the patients after the cost has been ar
ranged under fee schedules" 1t fur
Their recommends that financial ar
rangement be made with the roentge-
nologist for his services either on a
straight salary basis or upon that of
a division of the net receipts from the
laboratory The report declares there
Is little uniformity in the hospitals" in
regard to the organization of the X-ray
departments.
For Laboratory Service.
The report urges that hospitals install
the necessary facilities for complete lab
oratory service or that two or more
hospitals cooperate to render such serv-
ice in cases where the institution Is too
small for such a service in it to be
feasible. For this service competent
professional talent is recommended and
that charges for the service be included
in the basic per diem rate charged pa
tients for hospital service.
The present methods of giving anes-
thetics in Washington hospitals are de-
clared to be acceptable and conform TO
the accepted practice.
Recognition of dentistry as one Of the
medical specialtieS is recommended in
the survey, which asserts dental depart
ments should be definitely organized in
all hospitals.
The survey urged that arrangements
for occupational therapy be made in the
hospitals, and that the use of this treat
ment be arranged for in the homes of
discharged patients.
AppOrtiOnment Of Nurses.
The report recommends that the nurs-
ing staff in all hospitals be apportioned
to form a ratio of one graduate nurse
to four student nurses.
1t urges that Gallinger and Freed
mems Hospitals, when the latter be-
comes definitely af1liated with Howard
University Medical School, consider
plans for an adequate program for. the
care of colored people