Evening star., 1935-04-03
HOSPITAL CENTER
PLAN|SSUBM|TTED
TO VARIOUS UNITS
Professional and Civic
Bodies Are Questioned on
$4,000, 900 Proposal.
FAVORABLE COMMENTS
REPORTED BY C0RBY
Chairman of Committee Meets
With Other Members to Map
Future Action.

Commissioner Aliens proposal for
development of Washington medical
center to combine the facilities of the
various private hospitals here and to
be operated on a non-profit basis by
groups representing the existing hos
pital and medical school plants, to-
day was submitted to professional,
civic and hospital bodies for their
reaction.
A series of questionnaires is being
distributed to these groups seeking
answers on all phases Of the matter,
financial as well as medical. The re-
plies are sought within two weeks so
a meeting may be held within three
weeks to determine whether the Citi-
zens' Committee shall proceed with
details of the plan.
1t is proposed that the new unified
hospital center be built as a self
liquidating project under financing by
the Public Works Administration. The
cost has been estimated roughly at
100000 for construction of the
plant to replace facilities of the pri-
vate institutions.
Aliens IDEA in his suggestion is to
make hospital care available to fami-
lies having average income, while
stimulating advance in the medical
profession through pooling Of medi-
cal school and hospital resources and
at the same time providing for en-
ployment in the building of the new
institution.
Corby Optimistic.
Karl Corby, chairman of the board
of trustees of Emergency Hospital,
who is chairman of the Citizens Com
mittee, was optimistic as the result
of a private conference with other
committee members today in Com
missioner Aliens Office. He said con-
siderable favorable interest was ex-
pressed. He said he had received
hundreds of telephone calls from resi-
dents expressing hope the plan might
be successful.
Distribution of the questionnaires
started Immediately after the meet
ing. They are designed to indicate
clearly whether public sentiment is
in favor of the project. Hospital in
tereSts are asked to state descrip-
ton of their present properties, in
cluding the cost of the buildings,
the value of real estate held for future
expansion and the Indebtedness of
the institution.
Specifically, the hospital owners are
asked, in a series of questions, if a
medical center combining the efforts
of the separate units, would serve
as an advance in all phases of med
ical work and if the institutions
favor the principle Of the proposal.
Civic Interests Questioned.
The civic interests are asked, in a
separate list of questions, if they re-
gard the establishment of such
medical center as sound and sensi-
BILE" from the viewpoint of civic
development.
More technical questions are asked
physicians, dentists and nurses in
regard to the proposed operation of
the center.
Among those attending the meet
ing were DR.. A. B. Bennett, president
of the District Medical Society; DR..
Earl B. Mckinley of George Wash
ington Hospital, Right Rev. James E.
Freeman, Bishop of Washington; DR..
William Charles White of the Wash
ington tuberculosis Association, DR..
George C. Ruhland, District health
officer; Clarence Phelps Dodge, presi-
dent, Community Chest, and repre-
sentatives of other medical groups.
Corby's Statement.
Corby made this statement:
1T is proposed that the IL exist
ing community hospitals come to-
gether to form a medical center chosen
from their respective boards. All pres
ent hospital structures would be re-
leased or some of these sites would
be used for a system of community
diSpensarieS. Such of these sites not
selected for these dispensaries would
be used as tangible assets to be ap-
piled in securing funds for this project.
Much of this property could, in
time, be liquidated and freed from
debt. Each hospital unit, with its
own administrative board, admins
tration and assets in the form of en-
dowments and goodwill, would move
into new home constructed along
the most modern lines of hospital
development and would, If it so de-
sired, retain its own name"
Corby said the size of the proposed
center would depend upon the num-
ber of units joining in the project and
that any number or all of them might
be included. He emphasized that
under such joint operation. great
economies could be effected.