Evening star., 1941-12-13
Plan Offered
For Expansion
Health Security Urges
Immediate Outlay
OF S9,210,000

NJ Y<f&IVTSSS
Faced with war conditions and a
shortage of about 1000 hospital beds
in the Metres olitan Area of WASH
ington, Health Security Administra-
ton, a private non-profit organiza-
ton, today submitted to the presi-
dents of the private non-profit hos
pitals of the city long-range pro-
gram for expansion of the hospital
system, recommending that special
legislation should be sought to make
Federal funds available"
The acute need in the Metropoli-
tan Area, according to the report,
points to two-part program: One
for immediate consideration and
another for a deferred program.
The immediate program includes
five projects at five local hospitals
totaling s5,845 900, and five projects
in the suburban areas totaling So
365 900, for a total of s9,210,000 in
the immediate program.
The deferred program includes
nine projects totaling s11 $500
The grand total for both the imme-
diate and deferred program is $2l,-
10000.
Submitted to Hospital Heads.
The plan was submitted to the
hospital presidents with a letter
from DR.. Henry c. Macatee, presi-
dent of Health Security Administra-
| ton.
The plan was prepared by Charles
F. Neergaard of New York and as
sociates after survey of the hos
pitals and the needs of this area in
response to a request made by the
presidents of the hospitals.
The report emphasizes that the
plan represents "the scope Of what
ought to exist in this area to give
modern hospital and related facili-
ties to the people of the Metro
politan Area, rather than TO state
how the various objectives OF the
plan may be realized"
The large amount of capital IN
volved. it was explained in the re-
port, is due to the inability of the
hospitals in the past to finance con-
struction If Washington, the center
of defense activities, is to have ade-
quate modern hospitals special legis-
lation should be sought to make Fed
eral funds available, the report
added
Decentralization of Facilities.
In view of recent bombing of a
hospital dispensary in the Philip
pines, where it was reported every
, person was killed, much current in
terest attached to the recommends
ton that now "a greater decentral-
ization of hospital facilities in the
: outlying areas may be desirable"
One recommendation was for the
formation of a so-called Joint plan
ming body" to include representatives
, of the District government, the
United States Public Health Service
) the priorities division of the Office
: of Production Management, the Ma
, tional Capital Park and Planning
' Commission, the hospitals and theil
e consultants.
The financial situation was de
g scribed as pointing to the necessit,
S of new legislation. because OF pre-
vious failure to get funds allocate
S, to hospitals here out of defens
money provided under the Lanhar
l. Community Facilities Act.
- Negotiations indicate the repol
L. said. that the ALLEGATION to hoSplta
,r of defense money by the FEEDERS
i, Works Administration under certifl
l. Gates of necessity issued by tn
V. United States Public Health Servic
1. will probably be subject to the fol
n lowing policies:
"(a) Grants and loans to hospita
n, will provide essentially addition;
h beds needed to take care Of the In
4. creased population due to defens
l. activities in each community.
d "(b) No funds will be availabl
:. for major requirements, and
S, "(c) For the present at leas
Y, funds will not be allocated to hos
:. pitals in the District of Columbl;
II Hub of Defense.
, "Washington is the hub of ma
n tional defense" the report empha
n sized. Thousands from all over tn
country who daily crowd its hoteI
and thousands of workers commut
ing from suburban areas and nearb
= cities use Washington's doctors an
hospitals when sick. While add
D. tional facilities in the vicinity
, washington will remove some {
II the pressure, the sorely overcrowde
;. - and inadequate hospitals of the cit
L. itself must have more beds, sine
i over IS per cent of the populatlo
l. resides within the District, mo-
d. of the balance is employed In IT
j. District and major treatment neet
w. u always gravitate to the urban Ger
- ters."
l. The plan estimates populatlc
j. for the Metropolitan Area of 1,15O
Is 600 persons in 1912, indicates gener
a. shortage of about 1000 beds, ar
L makes many recommendations, il
+ Guiding a proposed uniform syste
IT, of cost accounting and annual sa'
H. ings in power plant operatio
H. laundry and central purchasing.
It.
K ( Van Zundt Returns
c. Innonoeo Oorornfion