Evening star., 1961-12-03
D. D.C:Hospita|s Tied
To Anti-Bias Rule
City Acts
To Open Doors
To Negroes
BY CHARLES G. BROOKS
Star Staff Writer

A District Commissioners
action introducing non-dis-
elimination clauses into con-
tracts with voluntary hospitals
for INDECENT care has stirred a
controversy over the general
admission of patients.
At least one Commissioner,
John B. Duncan, feels it will
open up more hospitals to more
Negro physicians. The National
Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People feels
it will mean an open door to
the unrestricted admission of
Negro patients to the eight hos
pitals affected.
Walter N. Tobriner, president
of the Board of Commissioners,
told The Star yesterday that
the standard Federal non-dis-
elimination clause has been
placed in the contracts between
the District Health Depart
ment and the eight Washington
hospitals participating in the
Medical Charities program.
So Million Involved
These hospitals are Columbia,
the Washington Hospital Cen
ter. Children's, George Wash
ington University, Georgetown
University, Casualty, Providence
and Hadley Memorial.
The program involves some
50 million and about 5000
patients annually.
Mr.. Tobriner said other Dis
trict contracts have had this
nondiscrimination clause, which
has been directed primarily to
employe practices. Hospitals
have been excepted in the past.
but he said he sees no reason
why they should not be in
cluded.
The problem of admissions
always raises some controversy
with various groups. Most hos
pitfalls say they have no dis
elimination policies as to pa
tient admissions.
discrimination Aired
Recently, during hearings by
the House Health. Education
and Labor subcommittee con-
sidering the proposed new
Freedmen's Hospital, there was
testimony that most Washing
ton voluntary hospitals limit
the number of colored doctors
on their staffS - active and
courtesy-and therefore limit
the number of private paying
Negro patients. This was one
of the strongest arguments
heard for the new Freedman's
Hospital.
| Mr.. Tobriner said he does not
expect the non-discrimination
on clause to be effective when
applied to private paying pa
tients, as opposed to non-pay-
ing indigents under the Medi-
cal Charities program.
Mr.. Duncan. the Districts
first Negro Commissioner, said
he feels the -discrimina-
ton clause will affect the ad-
mission of staff doctors to all
hospitals having contracts with
the District for the care of in
digents.
Interpretation Queried
I'VE may have to interpret
these, or, if the participating
hospitals carry out their du-
ties we'll, we may not have to.
Under the INDECENT program,
there probably is not much dis
elimination. But if you are
talking about the Negro using
hospital services in general and
if certain doctors can't do this,
then there is discrimination"
Meanwhile. the Rev. E.
Franklin Jackson, head of the
District Branch of the National
Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People, said
his group would be opposed to
anything but IAN across-the-
board Interpretation" of the
controversial clauses.
He said that in Federal con-
tracts there is this the
board concept and the same
should apply to the District.
William Bucher. executive di-
rector of the Hospital Council
of the National Capital Area,
said. however, that the council
has not been requested to take
a position on this matter.
The majority of patients ac-.
cepted under the Medical Char
tiles program. he said, are ad-
mitted before their eligibility
is determined.
DR.. Herbert Ramsey. chair
man of the Hospital Advisory
Council. said only that his
group was never consulted by
the Commissioners on this ac-
ton.
The action, however, is be-
lieved to be a result of recon-
mendations by the Commits
SioyoerS Human Po1o tio,ac To,,y,