Evening star., 1948-11-30
Staff Reduction
Al alexandra
Hospital Urged
Report Also Fovors
More Members for
Board of Directors

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS GlldI AlcAd1l~
dria Hospital reduce the number Of
all types of employees except nurses
and expand membership on the
Board of Directors were made last
night by a committee of the newly
formed Alexandria Health Council.
The council voted to receive the
report and ask the hospital Board
OF Directors for comment before
action is taken.
Meanwhile, r. Samuel Luckett.
chairman of the City Council Hos
pital Committee, announced that a
financial survey of the institution
was begun yesterday by the audit
ing firm of Ernst & Ernst. He said
DR.. John R. Clemmons, who last
year conducted a survey of the
hospital, will be asked to review his
report and bring it up to date. The
Clemmons report criticized the hos
pltal administration and subse-
quently R. G. Whitton, administra-
tor, resigned.
Criticizes Board Statement.
DR.. Arthur j. Mourot, chairman of
the Health Council Committee which
made the report last night, said it
was felt there was no possibility the
Alexandria Hospital can or will
close, and such a statement by the
Board of Directors was ill advised
and bad public relations" The
board last month said lack of funds
would force closing of the hospital
January 81. The City Council made
a $4,000 emergency appropriation to
1orestall the threatened closing.
DR.. Mourot said his committee
strongly recommended" that sug-
gestlons in the Clemmons report for
changing the hospitals charter and
enlarging membership on the Board
of Directors "be carried out i'm
mediately."
1T is felt the failure to adopt
these recommendations is partially
responsible for the present condi-
tlon OF the hospital" DR.. Mourot
said. TO make these long overdue
changes a special meeting of the
hospital corporation should be
Cdlleo WITHOUT delay
1.70 Employees Per Patient,
AT the present time there are
slightly less than Ito employees per
patient" the committee reported.
according to hospital administra-
ton authorities this figure should
be less than 1.50 per cent. It is felt
that the number of employees in
each department, except nursing.
can be decreased without impairing
services or care to the patients"
DR.. Mourot said that the suggested
reduction would include from 10
to 20 employees.
The committee declared that 80
per cent of all patients admitted to
the hospital pay none or only part
OF their bills.
With more careful screening of
patients and more diligent collec-
tlon OF bills. this figure could and
should be reduced" the committee
reported.
The major cost of running the
emergency room should be borne by
the city, the committee recommend
ed. The city also was asked to
broaden its definition of medically
INDECENT" to coincide with standards
elsewhere in the District area. The
city also should pay the hospital
for the services given by its radiol-
ogist to the Health Department. the
committee said.
Asks City to Pay for INDECENT.
The cost of hospital services for
INDECENT ambulatory patients re-
ferred by the Community Health
Clinic also should be assumed by
the city, and INDECENT patients ad-
mitted from Fairfax and Prince
William Counties should be paid for
by those counties, the committee
said.
The committee indorsed the City
Council action in calling for
financial survey of the hospital.
Doctors in the audience asked for
immediate adoption of the report,
but it was voted to accept" the
recommendations and await COM
ment from the Board of Directors
before acting further.
The council, which was formed
last month to coordinate health
activities of various groups, last
night adopted a temporary consti-
tuition. The meeting was held in
the Virginia Electric & Power Co.
auditorium