Evening star., 1949-05-26
Mason |ndorses
.5NewGaI|inger
Rooms
Commissioners Awoit
Gen. Youne's Report
On Cost Of Project
BY George Beveridae

Lnat will nearly triple the Seri-
ously deficient operating room
facilities at Gallinger Hospital.
The Star learned today.
The large hospitals three op-
Grating rooms for major surgery
now are in almost constant use
six days a week. and scheduled
operations often are postponed
for days. crowded out by emer-
gency work.
The new plan calls for increas-
ing the number of operating
rooms to eight and providing
other long-heeded facilities.
Studied by Gen. Young.
The Commissioners acted on the
plan two days ago. The project has
been referred to Brig. Gen. Cor
don r. Young. the Engineer Com
missioner. for study and a cost
estimate. Mr.. Mason, who re-
Gently inspected the present setup,
said he Fundamentally supports
the plan.
Mr.. Mason said that, after the
study and cost estimate are COM
pleted. the project again will 60
before the Board Of Commission
ers for final action. He said the
work may be finished In time for
an appropriation request to be
included in the pending 1850 Ap-
preparation Act. Otherwise. 1t
would have to be submitted in q
deficiency request or as a part OF
next years budget.
The construction plan SUBJ
mitted by Gallinger ofiicials esti-
mates cost at about s2S5 900. plus
$8s, 1000 for equipment. The con-
struction request alone was SUBJ
mitted by the Health Department
last year but not included In the
Commissioners budget.
Involves Building Wings.
The project would expand the
operating suite by constructing
wings on each end OF the sixth
floor Of the hospitals surgical
building. where only Ave floors
exist now.
Each wing would include three
modern-type, .'fiexibles operating
rooms. which could be used for ali
types of surgery. Two other
rooms would be added in the main
section of the suite. One Of the
present large operating rooms
would be converted into an an
esthesia induction room and an
other would be used as q recovery
room" for postoperative patients
before they are returned to their
wards.
The plans. officials said. also call
for air-conditioning throughout
the suite an essential improve
ment In the surgical services OF
modern hospitals and small path
ology laboratory.
While most operating suites,
except for emergencies. are In
actual use only about half q day,
Gallinger begins its schedule OF
operations at 8 am. and seldom
finishes until 4 or S pm. AT
times. ofiicials said, the regular
surgery extends into the night,
Only recently. to help meet the
large load. the service went on a
six-day week.
Special Surgery Assigned.
With the exception of eye, ear,
nose and throat operations, the
three present operating rooms
must bear the surgical load Of the
entire general hospital. In ad-
dition to general surgery, the
schedule includes neurosurgery,
orthopedic. brain. genito-urinary.
genealogical, thoracic and plastic
surgery.
To handle all the work. officials
explained. special types Of surgery
are scheduled in each room each
day. Thus. If one operation is
crowded OF the list. several days
might elapse before 1t can be re-
scheduled.
DR.. p. A. E. Stebbing. Gallinger
superintendent, said study Is
being made now to determine how
much time and money are lost
through such delays. Each extra
day a patient spends in a ward
awaiting surgery, he explained. Is
an additional expense to the tax
supported institution.
The actual determination Of
such a loss is difiicult." he added
because some doctors--knowing
they have no chance Of getting
into the operating room early,
don't bother to schedule elective
surgery as early as would be pos
sible medically"
Another time-consuming delay
is caused by the necessity Of CIV
ing anesthesia In all cases In the
operating room itself. because OF
the lack Of an induction room.
Recovery Room Important
One OF the most important ad-
ditions under the new plan would
be the recovery room" where
some patients who should be
watched for reactions 10 anes-
thesia or shock can be kept under
careful observation as soon as
they are wheeled out Of the oper-
ating rooms. There Is no place
for them to so now. except back
to their wards.
DR.. Robert j. CofIey. chief OF
surgery at Georgetown University
Hospital. who directs surgical
training Of Georgetown medical
students at Gallinger. explained
that the additional facilities also
win allow more time for cleaning
and preparation Of the rooms
necessary before and after each
operation