Evening star., 1952-08-08
CamaIier Calls
Home Nursing
Meeting Aug.2
Plans to Continue
Service to INDECENT
Sick to Be Mapped
By Horriet Griffiths

lier has arranged a meeting
August 26 with Health Director
Daniel L. Seckinger and the In.
structive Visiting Nurse Society or
future arrangements for home
nursing of the INDECENT sick.
The matter of Health Depart
ment use Of the services of the
privately supported nurse society
was clouded last month when Gal
linger Hospital began cutting
back on its calls to the society
for bedside nursing visits.
This followed appropriation by
Congress of SOS, 900 in the Health
Department budget to pay the
1VNS for visits to patients sup
ported by the Board Of Public
Welfare. Previously, the society
had done the work free.
DR.. Seckinger protested the ap-
preparation, declaring that his de-
partment's budget already had
been cut severely.
Sees Limit on Services.
The health director explained
yesterday, after returning from a
vacation. that it was his under
standing the District now is
limited to calling on the society
only to the extent of $25, 1000.
In requesting that it be paid
for its service to INDECENT patients,
the 1VNS had requested about
twice that much. 1t has put in a
request for $50.000 to cover its
services next fiscal year. It's visit
Zee to paying patients is $2.25.
DR.. Seckinger pointed out that
the $25,000 appropriation was
placed under the Health Depart
ment for administration, and that
we're studying the situation to
Bee what best results we can get."
The department presumably will
have to execute a contract with
the IVNS and arrange a procedure
for referDalS similar to that now
followed under the program for
care of INDECENT patients by VOL
lntary hospitals here.
Study Being Made.
DR.. Seckinger is conducting a
study Of requirements for nurs-
ing service outside the hospital.
Mr.. Camalier said the results of
The study should be available by
The time of the forthcoming con-
ference.
The Commissioner explained
that this study should determine
how much of the care can be
handled by the Health Depart
ment and how much will be need
ed from the IVNS, so that the
situation can be clearly presented
10 Congress.
The IVNS became concerned
over its future role in the care
of INDECENT patients and the well
fare Of the patients early last
month. when Gallinger suddenly
cut down its calls on the society
Tor visits to maternity patients.
These calls were cut back from
previous average of about 80 a
week to almost none. Meanwhile.
Gallinger continues to refer other
types OF cases to the IVNS, and
salls to care for INDECENT patients
'till come from other sources.
Will Answer Calls.
A spokesman at the society said
It would continue to answer the
calls. Care of public assistance
has accounted for about one-fifth
Df its free work. Patients who can
pay in full or in part do so.
Rising costs and successive
failures of the Community Chest
fund campaigns led the society to
seek reimbursement for calls to
patients on public assistance.
DR.. Seckinger said that whether
maternity patient needs a fol-
low-up nurse visit even after only
TWO or three days in the hospital
depends on the individual patient.
He asserted that all patients are
being visited where there is al
medically indicated need for a.
visit.
The IVNS. has been receiving
sallS from maternity patients who
previously had been visited by So
eiety nurses after discharge from
the hospital and have missed the
Visits lately.
Ahean+aa Vo&snn :n