Evening star., 1957-12-30

~A+A| 49,
from sl4 per day 10 SIS for
inpatlents and from S2.40 per
visit to So for clinic patients.
The Steinle group, however.
would set them at about $l4.i0
per dag for inpatients and S2.ii
per visit for clinic patients.
Private hospital sources say
such a proposal would be un-
acceptable and would wreck
this part Of the program.
The concept Of private hos
pitals taking indigents in their
areas as planned admissions
has been advocated before by
both the District Medical So-
ciety and the Washington Hos
pital Council. These groups
have pressed for the use Of
existing hospital clinics rather
than the construction Of new
Health Department clinics.
Favor Patient Choice
Under the Steinle plan. the
new Washington Hospital Gen.
ter. the Georgetown University.
George Washington University.
Providence and Freedmen's
Hospitals would be assigned
certain jurisdictions from
which to draw their indieent
patients. These patients. when
certified as indigents. would
have the choice Of going to the
particular hospital in their
area or to the District General
Hospital. District General
would also cover the Southeast
area with q branch facility lo-
Gated in the Southwest.
Columbia and Children's
Hospitals were not included be-
cause they are speciality insti-
tutions. Casualty was also left
out TO serve as q major clear
ing house for emergency cases.
The surveyors estimated that
both Casualty and District
General would see q IS per
cent increase In emergency
cases when Emergency. Gar
field and Episcopal Hospitals
move into the new Hospital
Center.
The report basis recommended
costs on the direct costs at
District General Hospital. AL
though the cost data at Dis
trict General is quite deficient.
analysis indicates that the per
diem direct costs approximate
$l4.l0 and the outpatient di-
rect costs approximate SAIL"
These costs should not include
administration. maintenance or
depreciation. the report said.
Volume Held solution
The report declared that the
private hospitals should come
out Of their financial woes well
on the basis Of volume. AN
empty bed is one Of the most
expensive beds" Mr.. Steinle
said in last week ends inter-
view. The heat, loan payments
and other items must still be
paid. he added.
Most communities. he said.
reimburse INDECENT care at less
than cost for two main rea-
sons:
/. Acceptable, standard cost
systems are not maintained. Re-
endorsement OF cost can only
be made when the hospital
maintains an accurate and ef-
fective cost accounting system.
| 2. The hospital receives sub
stantial BENEFITS from the
teaching value Of INDECENT pa
tients.
Cost Set Much Higher
william Bucher. executive
secretary Of the Hospital Coun-
Gil. declared that the most re-
cent Congress-aprpoved figures
Of $18 and So still do not allow
the hospitals participating In
the medical charities program
to break even. The average
cost for an impatient per day,
he said. Is about $25.
The report criticized certain
aspects Of the present INDECENT
care program. Many indigents
must travel O long way to get
to District General Hospital.
II stated. Voluntary hospitals
are permitted to select their
cases even though they are re-
imbursed by the city, 1t was
pointed out.
Patients often are recorded
as going from hospital to hos
pital, an expensive proposition
requiring the duplication Of
X-ray, laboratory and other
Expensive diagnostic proce-
dures.
Other recommendations in
clude an admissions stan TO
be maintained "a hours per
day at District General to
check the eligibility Of pa
tients. The medical STAFF Of the
city hospital should be resROn-
sible for city clinics. rather
than the downtown Health
Department staff, 1t added. The
District Physician Service,
which provides physicians for
home visits TO indigents. also
should be transferred TO the
A