Evening star., 1946-04-14
3 Factors Delay
Choice Of Site
For VA Hospital
Parking, Zoning and
transportation Are
Tempering Decision
By Miriam Ottenbero

~ttSukSI4
selection of a site for the ney
7o0-bed hospital for Washingto,
veterans has become involved witt
questions of parking, transporta
tion and coming, and a decision OF
the location is expected to be de.
!ayed several more weeks, it wa.
learned last night.
The Veterans Administration i
lnslstent on only one point-that
the new hospital be located nea,
medical centers, which would mi
the location definitely in the North.
west section.
The National Capital Park anc
Planning Commission, which sub.
mltted Is sites after VA had mar.
roWed its selections to three O,
four possibilities, has raised a oues-
tion about parking difficulties and
.he congestion OF transportation
In. the Northwest section.
The District Commissioners re-
porteoiy are concerned about zonine
ana availability of public utilities
Compromise Expected.
VA expects to take the next ster
toward a compromise when it pre-
sents its report to the Park and
framing Commission Friday on the
Is sites suggested by the commits
sion. A spokesman for VA said he
hoped he could get a site approved
and a recommendation on it's way
10 the Federal Board of Hospitaliza-
ton within month.
VA Is 1nsistent on the hospitals
being near Georgetown, George
Washington and Howard University
medical schools, the VA official ex-
planned, because many of the physi-
clans serving the hospital will be
drawn from the faculties of the
schools.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
VA Is counting on continuing to use
500 beds at the Bethesda Naval Hos
pital and probably score of beds
at Walter Reed even after the new
hospital is completed.
Mt. Altos Fate Undecided.
What is to become of Mount Alto
Hospital is yet to be decided. How
ever, Mount Alto authorities have
been instructed not to spend too
much money repairing the sprawl
ing institution while the new hos
pital, scheduled for completion be-
fore June, 194S, is under construc-
ton.
VA officials said the proposed hos
pital was set at 75o beds because
1t was expected that would fill the
needs of Washington veterans until
1850. According to the latest hos
pital report, a total of GIL WASH
lngton men were hospitalized on
March %. The increasing number
OF men seeking disqualification here
is the reason why Bethesda is being
included in VAS plans for Washing
ton veterans.
Unlike Mount Alto which for
years was a diagnostic center to
which veterans from all over the
country was sent, the new hospital
will be earmarked for Washington
veterans, VA officials said, It was
explained that all the new hospitals
Will be In a position to diagnose
difficult cases, because of their con-
nectlon with specialists from the
medical schools.
Latest Features Planned.
Generally approved plans for the
new hospital, as developed by medi-
cal and architectural consultants
for VA, call for a number of fea-
lures not found in even the latest
civilian hospitals.
On the theory that the average
veteran patient spends SO days in
the hospital, as compared with an
average stay Of nine days in ci-
william hospitals, the new VA hos
pitas will have number of recrea-
tional features.
Included are plans for an audi
torlum with approximately 400
seats, a soundproof radio studio,
lounges, card and ping-pong rooms.
a soda fountain, tailor shop, barber
shop and workshops for radio re-
pair, printing and bookbinding, wood
and metal work, weaving, leather
work, light crafts and ceramics.
Provision for Women.
women veterans undergoing sur
gical or serious medical treatment
Will be given private rooms on the
medical and surgical floors and will
not be segregated with the other
women until they are able to walk
around. 1t was explained that
women veterans, who make up
about per cent of the patient load,
previously were placed in a woman's
wing and there was some feeling
that the doctors overlooked them.
A psychiatric unit probably will
be placed on the top floor with it's
own inclosed roof garden, solarium
and cafeteria. Plans also call for a
lew private rooms to be set aside
for visiting relatives of patients.