Evening star., 1938-01-26
CONTRACT PATIENT
SOLUTION OFFERED
Hearings Reveal Plan to
Cut Load at
GaIIinger.

AZ private llUdpItdlS ulluel Sol'tA ase
with the District to relieve overcrowd-
ing at Gallinger Municipal Hospital
was suggested by Chairman Collins Of
the District Subcommittee Of the
House Appropriations Committee IN
hearings on the 1899 appropriation bill
made public today.
Mr.. Collins frowned on Health
Department proposal to relieve con-
eestion at Gallinger by using the old
Upshur Street tuberculosis Hospital
for convalescent patients. advising
1yealth Officer George c. Rutland not
to argue it with u.s."
Testimony by DR.. Rutland and DR..
Edgar A. Bocock, Gallinger superin-
tendent brought out that congestion
there had been reduced to some extent
recently by development of home
delivery" maternity service and trans
fer Of some tuberculosis patients to
the Glenn Dale tuberculosis Sana-
torium. Serious overcrowding still
prevails in the medical and surgical
building however, DR.. Bocock said.
Char1ty fr0VlSO suggested.
wont We get rid of that by in
creasing the item for medical chari-
ties?" Mr.. Collins asked, referring to
District payments under contract to
private hospitals for emergency treat
nent Of some INDECENT cases.
L do not see that we quite can,"
Dr.. Rutland said.
1T has been the policy" Mr.. Collins
pointed out, "to decrease appropria-
tions for medical charities in order to
be able to spend more money at GAL
linger, but 1t seems to me we ought to
encourage these private hospitals as
much as possible and let them take on
additional patients rather than to
build new buildings at Gallinger."
DR.. Rutland later submitted table
showing 1921 900 more than the cur
rent sl45.000 appropriation for this
purpose would be absolutely necessary
to care for INDECENT patients in private
hospitals If the Gallinger situation is
to be relieved to the rated capacity
point" This total of s3s6O00 would
care for an average Of l49 patients at
. cost Of $3.50 per day.
DR.. Rutland and DR.. Bocock vehe-
mently denied reports Mr. Collins said
had come to him that Gallinger had
been making a drive to take charity
patients out of the private hospitals
in order to fill up Gallinger.
Sees Patient Load Cut.
DR.. Bocock said the average number
Of patients at Gallinger each day dur
Ing the last fiscal year was 1858, and
that indications were this average
would be reduced to about $40 for the
current fiscal year. Reduction in the
last few weeks made it no longer nee
essary to put patients on beds in the
hospital corridors, he said, but left
some Of the wards undesirably crowded
In asking for SO additional employees,
including 20 more nurses. for the
coming year, DR. Bocock said the hos
pital personnel never has been
adequate because the number of pa
tients increased more rapidly than
appropriations for employees.
He urged $4,000 increase in the
maintenance appropriation, declaring
that eve are operating this year
simply on shoestring The hospital
now is down to bedrock. with no stock
Of supplies of any kind on hand, he
said.
Site Canvass Urged.
Mr.. Collins opposed the request for
funds to reopen the Upshur Street
Hospital for convalescent patients be-
cause it was located in the immediate
vicinity Of four schools. He asked DR.. |
Rutland If he had thought of any
other location for the proposed con-
valescent home, and DR.. Rutland re-
piled he had not. Then this exchange |
took place:
Mr. Collins-Well, will you not think
OF some other place and let the COM
nittee know about it?
DR.. Ruhland-I think we have cam
vassed it, and do not know of any |
other possibility, really
Mr.. Collins-I think if you want to
get rid of them at Gallinger, it would
be very we'll for you to canvass it.
DR.. Ruhland-We thought that the
utilization of Upshur Street as a
temporary institution would be the
best means"
Mr.. Collins-Yes; but when you get
your nose in the tap, we know you
are going to keep it there
DR.. Ruhland-But, gentlemen, let
The
Mr.. Collins-1 know, doctor, but
there is no use arguing that. We
know the location; We have visited it,
and We would rather you would give
us some other location. We would
prefer you would give us some help,
rather than argue it with us.
Held Economy Move.
Dr. Bocock later explained that If
the Upshur Street Hospital use was
authorized, about 100 convalescent
patients could be maintained there at
considerably less expense than at
Gallinger.
The testimony brought out that ap-
proximately 100 tuberculosis patients
had been transferred recently from
Gallinger to Glenn Dale Mr.. Collins
suggested further transfers and said
he would insist that the five old frame
buildings being used as tuberculosis
pavilions at Gallinger be torn down.
The Health Department also asked
for $4,000 to pay the social-service
exchange, a Community Chest benefi-
ciary, for investigating the status of
patients seeking charity treatment.
Have you been getting that service
In the past?" Mr. Collins asked.
"They have given us some service
as volunteer service" DR.. Rutland |
replied.
We'll think you had better con-
tinue to get it given to you," Mr..
Collins replied.