Evening star., 1948-12-26
Waste Charged
In Health Setup;
Merger Urged
Hoover Report Asks
Transfer of Military
And VA Hospitals
By Froncis P. DouqIos


Multi-million dollar waste and
duplication in medical services
was pictured in report yester-
lay by the Hoover Commission
which recommended a sweeping
reorganization of Government
health services.
The report recommended the
transfer to new National Bu-
reau Of Health of the following:
/. All Veterans Administration
Hospitals.
2. Most of the hospitals of the
armed services with the excep-
ton of outlying station hospitals.
3. The 26 hospitals of the
United States Public Health
Service
The report is the work of the
commissions Committee on Medi-
cal Services, headed by Assistant
Secretary of War Tracy S. Voor-
hees. DR.. Paul r. Hawley, former
chief medical director OF the
Veterans Administration, Is a
committee member.
Under New Cabinet Office.
The proposed health bureau
would be a part of a new Cab
met Office of health, education
and security which would include
the Federal Security Agency.
The committee, known as a task
force" said it was instructed to
proceed on the assumption that
the Hoover Commission-the
Commission on Reorganization
of the Executive Branch-would
recommend such a Cabinet de-
partment
The committees report, which
former President Hoover, chairman
IF the commission, said does mot
necessarily represent the commits
'ion's final conclusions, detailed q
pattern of duplication of physical
facilities, waste of scarce medical
and unwarranted
of new facilities"
All this, the report set out, re-
suited primarily from the lack Of
4 central plan for Federal medical
care"
coordination Found Lacking.
Finally" the report continued, "it
is plain that the Federal
lacks any means of CO.
the medical programs Of
the separate agencies"
The report underscored the mag
nitude of the Governments medical
problem by stating that the Gov
now is responsible for med
ical care, in varying degrees, for
"a 100000 persons, or about one
sixth of the Nations population. It
said that in 1948 more than A Fed
eral agencies will spend about ST.
ESQ 100000 for health and medical
services.
In 1949, the report said, the Vet
Grams Administration alone will
spend as much on medical services
is all Federal services spent on such
in 1948, one-half of which
will be spent for construction of new
VA hospitals.
The Federal Government" the
'eport said. lis assuming uncalcu-
ated obligations without any un-
of their ultimate cost,
he lack of necessary manpoWer to
O
effect upon the hospital system Of
he country
Hospital Duplication Cited.
In citing specific waste and dupli-
cation. the report told of huge new
hospitals built by one Federal
agency although nearby hospitals
operated by another Government
agency had plenty of space.
Literally dozens of Federal hos
oitals, the report said. could be shut
iown and their patients shifted to
other uncroWded quarters.
1t mentioned a new $14 100000
permanent Navy cancer hospital
being constructed at st. Adams, N.
Y, with equipment described as the
argest ever built for cancer therapy,
and added:
1--WE question why the care Of
cancer patients, except superficial
cases, should be a responsibility Of
.he armed forces at ALL"
Must Draft Doctors.
The armed forces, according to
the report, will have 10 draft doc
tors to meet its requirements. The
hospital consolidation will
reduce greatly the medical require
ments of the armed forces but not
to avert a draft, the re-
port said. adding:
"1he draft should be limited for
the present to A. S. T. P. Army
Special Training Progrsm) and
Navy Viz graduates who have
rendered no service-of which there
IS pool of about 8,500-end there
after to others who have been de-
ferred to pursue their medical edu-
cation"
st. Elizabeths Hospital in WASH
ngton would be part of the new
hospital setup, under the task
Continued on Page At, Column II