Evening star., 1948-11-19
Garfield S|ashes
Aid 10 |ndigents
AS Losses Rise
Chest Agency Sums
Called Insufficient;
Functions in Dispute
By George Beveridee

Garfield Hospital virtually has
closed it's doors to INDECENT pa
tients and has cut drastically
admittance of patients whose
care is financed partly by Com
munity Chest funds, The Star
learned today.
officials said limited admissions
have been ordered as an unhappy
alternative" to closing the hospital
entirely. as the result of serious
financial losses on such patients.
This is one of a series of new de-
velopments which may completely
change the approach of Washington
hospitals to the care of their pa
tients At the same time:
l. The Hospital Council of the
National Capital area, it was
learned, wants to eliminate the Hos
pital Service Agency-as it is now
set up-and take over some of its
functions. The agency certifies pa
tients under the Community Chest
Federation disqualification program
and pays hospitals for treating
them.
Want to Certify Patients.
2. Hospitals have agreed that they
want to take over the jobs of certi-
flying the patients for admission and
to make part-pay collections them
selves from these community aided
patients.
3. HSA charged that some hos
pitfalls already have "nulllfied" an
agreement now in effect between
the hospitals and the Chest fedora
ton by refusing to accept HSA GER
tif1cations and by setting up similar
machinery of their own.
4. Willard c. Smith, HSA direc-
tor, said the agency no longer will
honor hospital claims for payment
of treatment prior to the time pa
tients are referred to HSA or for
those obviously accepted as pay
ing patients.
Under the Chest arrangement,
HSA has agreed to pay the hos
pitfalls $3.50 a day for each patient
it certifies. The agency then ar
ranges to collect from the patients
whatever it determines, in individual
cases, they can afford to pay.
Garfield Closes Sc Beds.
AS a result of the Garfield cut
down, the hospital has closed 80
beds, So of them in wards. This al
lows the hospital to save nurses and
other personnel and leads to more
economic operation, officials said.
More important, according to- Ar
kell B. Cook, administrator, it means
Garfield no longer is forced to take
loss for treating a large number
of INDECENT and semi-indigent pa
tients, reimbursement for which
falls far short of the cost of the
care.
Now, Mr. Cook said, the hospital
admits indigents eligible for care at
Gallinger, only if they are extreme
emergencies, meaning their physical
condition does not allow them to be
sent to Gallinger. Technically, the
administrator added, the hospital
simply is living up to the letter of
new contracts with the District.
The agreements are expected to
specify the city will pay hospitals
only for treating "emergency' indi-
gent cases.
Refuses HSA Patients.
Garfield also has refused to ac-
cept patients sent to the hospital
from HSA. 1t sends to HSA, how
ever, patients needing financial help
who apply for admission directly to
the hospital.
Last November, Mr.. Cook said, the
hospital had a daily average of 83
HSA and INDECENT patients in its
beds.
Yesterday, there were 10 HSA pa
tients and no "tax-eligible" indi-
gents, who would be eligible for free
care at Gallinger.
Garfield, which reported a $685.
600 deficit last year. decided last
spring it would have to limit ad-
missions, if it was to continue at
all. officials said.
Its the sort of thing a hospital
doesn't like to do" Mr.. Cook de-
clared. But there was no other
means open to U.S." There will be
deficit again this year, he added.
but at least we've been able to get
along this year without any addi-
tional bank borrowing"
He pointed out that last year
Garfield received about Is per cent
(See HOSPITALS, Page A-9D