Evening star., 1945-10-09
District Doctors
Asked 10 HeIp in
Cases
Backlog Of 1000
PhysicoIs Piles Up in
Field Office Here
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

The services of District doctors
have been sought to help the Vet
erans' Administration overcome a
backlog of nearly 1000 cases in
volving Washington veterans who
must have medical examinations in
connection with pension claims, it
was learned today.
At the same time it was learned
that the space problems of the
regional Veterans Administration
office appear to be solved. With
other Veterans Administration
units the regional Office will move
into the old Commerce Department
Building at 1925 H street NV.
some time after the first of the year.
Theodore Wiprud, secretary of the
District Medical Society, said the
society's Executive Board already
has approved a program of giving
emergency assistance to the Vet
erans' Administration, and that a
committee, headed by DR.. w. Cabell
Moore, would meet tonight to dis
cuss details of compensation.
If the committee approves the
fees offered, Mr.. Wiprud said, the
society's membership will be asked
for assistance Mr. Wiprud pre-
dicted that the response from local
doctors will be good when they
know of the need.
975 Examinations Behind.
Regional Veterans Administration
Director Howard Dickensheets said
his Office was 975 examinations be-
hind on october and at least
500 more examinations will be re-
quired before the first of the year.
I'VE try to give preference to the
men who are drawing no pension
now" Mr.. Dickensheets explained.
but even so it's two or three weeks
before we can schedule an exami-
nation"
The shortage of Veterans Ad-
ministration doctors allows only IL
to 18 examinations day, and this
hardly makes a dent in the back
log of cases, he said.
Mr.. Wiprud said he expected
most of the doctors would be able
to give examinations only at night.
Present plans call for the exami-
nations to be given at Mount Also
Hospital until space is provided
downtown.
Bradley Is Interested.
Inability of the regional Office to
keep up to date on the examinations
required before the men could get
pensions or could be re-rated for
increased pensions created such a
critical situation, it was learned, that
both Gen. Omar N. Bradley, admin
istrator of veterans affairs, and Mai
Gen. Paul R. Hawley, acting surgeon
general Of the Veterans Admins.
tration, have been concerned with
the arrangements for using the serv.
ices of District doctors on fee basis
Lack of clinic space where the
veterans could be given their exami.
nations also has slowed down the
program, it was learned. A Veter-
ans Administration spokesman said
arrangements were being made tc
increase the clinic facilities at the
present regional Office in the NUM-
clpA Center until the Office moves
to its new quarters. This was de-
scrloeo as stopgap measure to help
clean up the backlog of examina-
tions.
Hunting for Space.
The District has made it clear that
1t wants the regional Office to get out
OF the Municipal Center. and the
search for a building has been going
on Tor months. The Office is ex-
pected to have 100000 square feet of
space in the old Commerce Depart
ment Building, with complete fa-
cilities for examinations and treat
ment, SO that veterans will not have
to be shunted between the regional
ONCE and Mount Alto Hospital
Meanwhile, the Veterans Admin
istration reported that approxi-
mately 1,500 employees or about one
fourth of the present personnel of
the agency here, will be shifted In
the 13 branch Offices which Gen
Bradley announced last month.
Eventually, it is planned to trans
Ter all the Veterans Administration
operations out of the Washington
headquarters, leaving only the pol
icy-making functions and other nee.
essary controls here.
Although no date has been estab-
isned for carrying out the full pro.
gram OF bringing the agency close,
TO the veterans" officials said it was
hopec the full decentralization
could be accomplished by next June
Some employees affected by the
move, it was said, may remain herr
II they wish on the basis of thei,
seniority in the apencv