Evening star., 1944-08-13
Hospital of the Future

NOSPitOI OF the TutuIe
While the two are not directly
related, the significance of Senator
Tydings' bill proposing construction
of a modern, adequate hospital for
Washington is better understood
when it is studied against the back
ground of recent testimony of
Surgeon General Thomas Parran of
the United States Public Health
Service before Senate committee.
DR.. Parran, with many other dis
tinguished physicians and laymen,
sees great awakening" of public
interest in all matters pertaining to
health. He predicted a postwar de-
mand for hospital care, as we'll as
other forms of medical and health
service, which seems certain to
exceed anything we have known in
the past. We must plan soon to
meet these demands We should
plan now to evaluate the adequacy
OF our health facilities"
Senator Tydings' bill is tangible
move of great Importance in antici-
pating the demand 1t gains in
Importance by the nature of the
support behind it. 1t is the direct
result of many months of planning
and study by Washington physicians
and laymen concerned with the city's
voluntary hospitals. The nucleus of
the plan is the enthusiastic willing
ness of two of the city's largest
voluntary hospitals-Emergency and
Gar1eld-to combine their resources
in the operation of what should be
a model hospital plant, retaining
only enough of their individuality
to preserve their endoWments, and
welcoming the voluntary affiliation
of other Washington hospitals.
The need for a new, modern and
adequate hospital for Washington
requires no elaboration The phys
quate, but in many cases the original
faults of poor planning have been
magnitied by obsolescence of equip
ment and an inability to operate
without recurring deficits. But as
DR.. Parran pointed out, the mere
building of more facilities is not the
whole answer. Along with the new
facilities must 60 the ability to pur-
chase care and the professional skill
to furnish the service" The ade-
quacy Of hospitals of the future will
not be measured merely in terms
Of bed space. Economies through
scientific planning of facilities, Joint
use of maintenance services, and
sound business management, to-
gether with the growth and perfec-
ton of prepaid medical insurance
to relieve the hospitals of the
expense of so-called charity" cases,
must bring the cost of hospital care
within the reach of all who need it.
The community aspect of the hos
pltal proposed in the Tydings bill
is accentuated by the makeup of
the board of the proposed hospital
corporation, which includes repre-
sentatives of the United States Pub
lie Health Service, the Community
Chest and the municipal govern
ment, along with the boards of
Emergency and Garfield. Such ad-
mlniStratlve control would assure
operation of the hospital in con-
formity with the overall health
needs of the community, while pre-
serving what DR.. Parran refers to as
"the present large capital and hu-
man investment in voluntary hos
pitfalls (Which should be- protected
and utilized to full capacity"
The Tydings bill offers a vehicle
for general support. already indi-
Gated by the co-sponsorship of
Senator Bilbo and Representative
Randolph, chairmen of the two
District legislative committees and
Chairman D'Alesandro of the Health
and Welfare Subcommittee of the
House District Committee, and by
the preparatory work of public
spirited citizens and physicians of
Washington whose ideas have been
given expression by Senator Tyd-
ings. Here is hopeful evidence of a
real start in preparing for the sort
of hospital care that the future will
demand. and that Washington must
provide.