Evening star., 1938-03-04
COLUMBIA ADMITS
MATERNITY CASES.
Of c. H. A. DOCTORS.
Decision Follows Conference
of Group Health and
Hospital Heads.
SOLUTION TO DOUBLE
EXPENSE is SOUGHT
Officials of H. 0. L. c. Clinic
Association Ask Cooperation
for Surgical Patients.

Columbia Hospital will accept nor.
NAL maternity cases from members ol
Group Health Association, Inc, ever
with a G. H. A. clinic physician in at.
tendance, it was announced last night
by Col. P. NJ Ashburn, superintendent
of. the hospital.
The statement was made at special
meeting of G. H. A. officials and rep
resentatives of five hospitals at the In
terstate Commerce Commission Build
ing, called by G. H. A. to discuss the
difficulties the association has been
having in furnishing its patients with
hospital care.
Group Health physicians have not
yet been officially admitted to the
courtesy list of Columbia Hospital, Col
Ashburn explained, because this is only
done by action of the medical board
and, he said, the medical board has
not acted" on the matter. The board
will meet March 10, he said today.
Double Expense Necessitated.
Up to the present time, officials OF
G. H. A. explained TO the small group
of about Is persons in closed session
the only way in which G. H. A. had
been able to furnish operations for its
members was to pay private physi-
clan, not member of the Group
Health Association staff. who was
acceptable to the hospital itself. In
this way, officials explained, they had
had to pay the services of two doctors,
one in the clinic on salary. and the
other an outside physician who per-
formed the operation.
Much interest was shown in the
subject, according to both G. H. A.
officials and hospital authorities as
they emerged after the conference was
over. The meeting was described,
however as calm, dispassionate," and
without any sharp debate or f1areups
of any kind over any differences that
may exist.
Five hospitals out of the nine big
private institutions in the city were
represented: Columbia. by Col. Ash
burn; Providence, by DR.. Valentine
Hess; Children's, by DR.. Joseph S.
Wall Casualty, by Dr. j. Roger Young,
and Georgetown University Hospital,
by DR.. Frank E. Duehring.
Other Hospitals Aloof.
While all hospitals present were
said to have been represented in the
discussion. or symposium that took
place, it was understood that Colum-
bia Hospital was the only one to come
out with a specific declaration Of
policy which would admit G. H. A..
members with their c. H. A. physi-
clan.
Speaking for Group Health Asso-
citation at the outset were Ormond E.
1oomis, vice president of Group
Health Association, and Horace Rus
sell, trustee of G. H. A., who is
general counsel of the Home Owners
Loan Corporation, which established
G. H. A.
1t is understood they laid before
the select group the problem faced by
Group Health Association, on hos
pitalization of its members.
This situation had been explicitly
outlined in the letter of invitation,
which R. T. Berry, secretary of G. H.
A.. sent.
"A crisis has developed" he wrote,
"due to the fact that the members
of this group are being denied treat
ment by licensed physicians and sur
geons of their own choice in the hos
pitals of the District of Columbia"
In this he referred to G. H. A. physi-
clans and surgeons
Hopes for Cooperation.
"It is hoped" he had said, that
. greater mutuality of understanding
will result in better spirit of CO.
operation.
After Mr.. Loomis and Mr.. Russell
had laid before the group the problem
OF how Group Health members could
get disqualification, there followed a
general symposium. in which many
took part, it was said
Some doctors pointed out that a
hospital has the right to approve and
select the physicians on its own staff,
and to select those who have the
courtesy privilege of a hospital.
The hospitals. 1t was explained on
their behalf, are interested in the
question of the legality" of Group
Health. A case now is pending in
the District Court, for decision un-
der the declaratory judgment law as
to the legality of Group Health, which
has been questioned by the District
Medical Society. No date has been
set for hearing on this case
One thought raised at the session
by doctor was understood to be that
any patient, even members of Group
Health Association, should have his
own choice of more than one physi-
clan or surgeon. probably including
some others outside the staff of
q. H. A.
Willett Is Observer.
Herbert Willett, director of the
Community Chest, who said he at
tended as an observer, said afterwards
he hoped that they will reach an
agreement that will be mutually salts
factory" He took occasion to deny
that the Community Chest subsidizes
hospitals. Eve merely buy service,
and pay for it by the case" he ex-
planned, adding that due to shortage
Of funds the Chest actually paid for
only 70 per cent OF the cost of char
1ty cases sent to the hospitals, and
the hospitals themselves had to stand
for the cost of the balance
Asked what they thought the fu-
ture would bring forth in the way of
settlement Of the problem of G. H. A.
disqualification, officials of the asso-
ciation said they could not predict
what it would be. They indicated
further study would be given the
whole problem by every one con.