The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-18
-Dietz on Science
new DEAL IN
MEDICINE FOR
u. S. NEEDED
Day of Exorbitant Fees
Past, Assertion of
Hospital Head.
BY DAVID DIETZ
scripps- Science Editor

America needs a new deal in med
icine. as well as in politics and eco
Monies.
That is the opinion Of Dr. VIII
lard C. Stoner. director Of the
medical division Of St. Luke's hos
pital Of Cleveland. He explained
his views this week in an address
at the annual meeting Of the Amer
lean Protestant Hospital Association
in Milwaukee.
Our problem in America today
is 70 see that every one has a chance
to make a living. and an equal
chance to keep alive" DR.. Stoner
said
The day is past when a surgeon
can, in a spirit Of justice, collect
a fee for surgical service that is
exorbitant with the statement that
I saved your life "
DR.. Stoner does not believe that
the blame for the present situation
can be placed fairly upon any
group. He believes that the pro-
cesses Of social evolution, rather
than the conscious desires Of prac-
titioners. hospital executives or pa
tients. has brought about the pres
ent situation.
Family Mobility Ended
For example" he says. the
doctor seems to have less and less
hold upon the patient. The mobil-
ity of the average modern American
family has destroyed the close re-
lationship formerly achieved by the
old family doctor. with the result
that when illness strikes, the pa
tient has no idea where to turn for
aid.
Casting about, he usually is
tempted toward the specialist who
NAV or may not find the difficulty
within his particular field If not,
the patient must spend additional
money for diagnosis by anothE
specialist, with a net result of un-
necessary expenditure of both
money and time in searching
through the twenty-five recognized
fields of specialization for that one
dealing with his specific trouble"
Incomes are Shrinking
But while the average man is
finding the cost of medical service
high, medical men are finding
their incomes shrinking. DR.. Stoner
points out that the average gross
income for the 554.10O physicians
registered in 1929 was 5000. Out
of this, the physician had to spend
about 40 per cent for Office rent,
Office assistants, etc.
Most medical men had an income
under $500, the average figure be-
ing raised by the effect of a few
very high incomes on the total av-
erage.
DR.. Stoner sums up the present
situation as follows: We find that
in a period of enormous advance in
medical knowledge and practice,
large numbers of middle-class peo-
pie actually in need of care are de-
tered from seeking it owing to the
prohibitively high cost of obtain
ing it.
High Fees Encouraged
This hesitancy on the part of the
public encourages the doctors and
hospitals to charge high fees to
make up for the lost volume upon
whose fees the purchase of modern
equipment and further training de-
pendS. Thus begins the vicious cir
Gle out of which thinking groups are
endeavoring to lead medical prac-
tice"
Several plans have been tried to
meet the situation. Health insur-
ance is one. But the majority of
middle class people find that acct
dent and life insurance requires all
the money they are able to spare
for insurance purposes.