Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-29
HOSPITAL STAFF
GETS NEW ORDERS
ON TRANSFERRING
Emergency Aides Are Told
to Use Every Precaution
in Moving Patients.
MUST TELL RELATIVES
WHY CHANGE is NEEDED
Doctors Told to Make All Prepare
tons for Receiving Of Ill
Persons Elsewhere.

The stan Of Emergency Hospital has
been instructed by the board OF direc-
tors to use every precaution in trans
ferr1ng patients to other hospitals who
cannot be properly cared for at
Emergency
The directors issued definite instruc-
tons to the hospital staff, 1t was
learned today. that in every case in
which 1t becomes necessary to transfer
patient from the hospital after rem
derfng first aid. every precaution be
taken to insure that such transfer will
not endanger the favorable outcome Of
the case or cause unnecessary suffering
Relatives and friends accompanying the
patient are to be advised Just why the
transfer is necessary.
Must Make Arrangements.
Instructions were also issued. accord
ing to B. Brent Sandidge, superintenG~
ent Of Emergency Hospital, that def
mite arrangements be made for the re-
ception Of the patient in the insti-
tuition to which he is to be transferred
before such transfer takes place.
On account of the large number Of
emergency cases brought to the hos
pital 1t has been found impossible for
that institution to undertake to hos
pttalize all cases which come to its
emergency department
These steps, taken by Emergency
Hospital have met with full approval
Of the District of Columbia Hospital
Association, of which the president is
Or. Watson w. Eldridge Of st. Eliza
beth's Hospital. DR.. Eldridge COM
mended highly the principles laid down
in the new instructions
It has always been the policy Of the
hoard Nf dirartnrc nf
pital that emergency service should be
rendered "a hours day, it was ex-
planned, and the rapid growth of the
city has developed demand which
has grown to such proportions that dur
ing the past fiscal year there were treat
ed in the emergency department alone
1858 persons, or about 40 daily, and
the number Of ambulance calls amount
ed to 5,S2l. or about 16 daily.
The board of directors have insisted
that all of these patients be given proper
first-aid and shall be transferred only
after every precaution has been taken
to see that they will suffer no harm.
Surgery PredOminates.
The greater part Of work done in the
hospital proper, 1t was explained by
Mr.. Sandidge, is surgery and its allied
branches. consequently it is very neces-
sary that every safeguard be taken to
prevent patients already hospitahzed
from being subjected to contagion. The
hospital is not equipped to handle con-
tagious cases nor obStetrical patients
and only q very limited number of
children.
The hospital has two four-bed re-
covery rooms on the first floor in con-
nection with its emergency department,
originally furnished by The Evening
Star, one for white and one for colored
patients. These beds are utilized for
patients who need further observation
to enable the attending physician TO
make definite diagnosis. These rooms
are very active. Care has to be exer-
ciSed to avoid the admission of con-
tagiouS disease in order that these rooms
be not placed under quarantine.
The necessity of having these rooms
available, 1t was recalled, can be well
understood, for instance. in the case of
the Knickerbocker disaster, when the
hrst 65 patients were brought to Emer-
gency Hospital. During q food poison
ing OF excurSioniStS on the Potomac in
the Summer of 1928, it was recalled
about 40 acutely i'll patients were
rushed to the hospital, and more re-
Gently, when the old Federal Trade
Commission Building burned and q
score of firemen were injured and over
come by smoke, and brought to the
hospital
Ready For Emergencies.
These particular cases we're cited by
Mr.. Sandidge, to show how necessary
1t is for this hospital to reserve a reas-
enable amount of space and beds to be
able to meet such emergencies when
ever the occasion arises.
During the last fiscal year the hos
pital cared for 2,924 public ward pa
uents, Of whom 1901 were accepted
charges OF the Board Of Public We'll
fare from which board the hospital re-
ceiyed 50 per day as against a per day
cost Of S7.76 This high cost, Mr..
Sandidge said, was explainable when
there is taken into consideration the
TACT that many cases require expensive
serums, drugs. orthopedic and surgical
appliances, some cases creating bills as
high as S400 and $500 for two or three
weeks disqualification. For instance. it
was recalled a colored woman was ad-
mltted with q tet2nus infection and re-
manned Is days under treatment. She
was admitted as q Board of Public We'll
fare beneficiary ana the hospital re-
ceived 50 a day, or a total Of $50, from
the Board Of Public Welfare for her
disqualification. whereas the cost to the
hospital for her care was $459.So.
The maximum amount OF SatiSfac-
ton TO the public and OF assistance 10
the hospitals would be secured, said
Mr.. Sandidge, IF the individual wher-
ever possible would secure the advice