Evening star., 1946-06-03
Ei9ht-Point Program Urged
To Correct D. G. Hospitals
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tional net gain of several hundred
beds.
The estimated total need of $S5,.
000,0 900 IN new hospital construction
was broken down as follows: Nine
million dollars for $50 beds needed
in addition to the two new univer.
sity hospitals, $24,000,000 for re.
placement Of 1000 existing bed:
with auxiliary facilities and $4,000
900 for remodeling in certain hos.
pitals."
Suffrage Held Factor.
Taking cognizance of the long
fight by yoteless residents fol-
suffrage in Washington, DR.. Munger
asserted his belief that this essen.
TALLY political situation does pro.
foundly affect matters of social bet.
terment in the District itself" He
added: IF congressional electorate
existed it could be aroused to much
more effective efforts to this enc
than have been made by the Con.
gress in which it has no representa-.
tion."
The need for new hospita
licensing law for the District was
stressed. The present law, the re-
port said, does not include private
nursing homes, private homes fol-
the aged or independent clinics
"A study of the problem should be
made by the Metropolitan Health
Council, DR.. Munger recommended
ito the end of broadening the law
securing the formulation of careful
sets of standards and establish
ment of an inspection service which
will enforce the whole plan. The
Health Department would admins
ter the law"
The new Maryland law on licens-
ing and inspection Of hospitals was
said to be satisfactory" but there
is apparently no such provision in
the laws of Virginia
Hospital Accounting Criticized.
Criticizing systems of hospital ac-
counting, Dr. Munger charged that
"the majority of the hospitals of the
survey area. particularly those in
the District, are still in the dark
ages in respect to their work in ac-
counting and statistics" Standard
ization and centralized reporting
were recommended to improve this
The new hospital council already
has before it proposal central
ize accounting systems In the area
AS for future financing of hospital
construction, Dr. Munger not only
approved the Tydings bill calling for
Federal funds, but predicted that
the great needs cannot be met
from tax sources. He proposed the
new hospital council lead the COM
munity' in organized efforts to
rasie money to meet the tremen-
dous capital requirements for con-
struction.'"
The principal trouble with Gal
linger Hospital, which was de.
scribed as thorn in the flesh" OF
the community, was said to be
shortage of funds. Gallinger, DR.
Munger said, needs even stronger
support from the health officer OF
the District than it now receives
DR.. George c. Rutland, the health
officer, was not mentioned by name
in the report, which added, how
ever. ''one is inclined to feel that
this able officer has valiantly de-
Tended the hospital against criti.
ciSm although at times we have
wondered if it would have been bet
ter policy to admit deficiencies ano
to tell the community frankly the
reasons why they exist"
Gallinger Aid Sought.
In line with increasing demand:
that Gallinger be accorded more
/ operating revenue, the District Sub.
committee of the Senate Appropria
tions Committee recently approved
| the District estimates for the fls.
cal year beginning July l, with g
recommendation for greatly in.
creased outlays for the municipal
hospital Details on the hospita
funds were not disclosed by Chair.
man OMahoney of the subcommit.
/ tee. But the entire District budget
was increased by more than $1,000.
600 above the figures which were
approved by the House. 1t gives the
District a l947 budget of S79, ,622, 900
The measure now is before the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
I Nursing service at Gallinger, es'
pecially for psychiatric, tunerou
losis and newborn infants. was de
clared tc be "glaringly deficient"
! Charging that civil service regu
/ lations had caused great delay ant
difficulty in hiring nurses at Gal
linger, DR.. Munger asserted ther'
was some excuse for the genera
shortage of nurses, but to lose tn,
services of single nurse because
of what seems to the surveyor to b.
civil service red tape Is tragic i
not criminal"
The admitting department o
Gallinger was believed to be cha
otic and in need of complete reor
ganization"
Curb on Mental Treatment.
! A strange and somewhat surpris
! ing note crept into the report OF
Gallinger, with a hint that eithe
Gallinger or the Health Department
might have to take care of menta
patients from the District nov
housed at st. Elizabeths Hospita
for the insane, operated by the Fed
eral Security Agency.
/ 1T was learned said the report
that there is considerable likeli
hood that the Federal Government
will work toward a discontinuanc'
of service to mental disease patient.
from the District. and there is
probability that at least $500 bed
would be required to replace thi
service now given at ST. Elizabeth
Hospital. The assignment of sucl
hospital to the Health Depart
ment would further strengthen th'
departments need of a bureau O
I, l.