Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-03

AADt w 4@NRS " 49,
Northeast. The third would be
located TO serve Southwest and
the southern part of Northwest.
Other key goals include ex-
pansion of the health educa-
ton section into a division to
permit greater community
education in such areas as
venereal disease and to provide
orientation for the Health De-
partment's own employees
many Of whom, DR.. Grant
found, have little idea Of what
the department does and how
they fit into its work and
policies.
The home care program
would also be expanded to
provide more personnel to aid
patients in their homes-and
thus permit them to leave hos
pitfalls sooner or. in some cases,
eliminate expensive hospital
ization altogether.
Accident Prevention
The goals also include .
program to prevent accidents,
the most common cause Of
death in the District for per-
sons aged / to "a, a program
to guard employees from occu-
pational health hazards, q
specialist to develop checks for
the safety of X-ray equipment
and to survey fallout and in
dustrial radiation problems. a
complete automatic data proc
essing system for budgetsry
controls and for billing pa
tients who don't qualify for
free care, and q review Of
eligibility and residence re-
quirements.
More specific goals on eligi-
bility-espec that for ad-
mission to District General
Hospitals believed to be
contained in reports still to be
released.
Informed sources say DR..
Grant wishes to end the
''means test" for admission to
District General.
Patients at the hospital would
then pay none, part or all Df
their bills. according to their
means.
DR.. Grant said he could not
comment on the hospital at
present but said his philosophy
on hospital admissions and on
the overall operation Of a city
health department would be-
come clear in reports still to
Be Issued.
One Advisory Group
Internally. the department
would be reorganized to provide
clear lines Of responsibility and
authority. under DR.. Grants
plan.
In another streamlining
move, DR.. Grant asks for the
abolition Of all citizen health
advisory groups except one, the
Public Health Advisory Coun-
Gil.
This, In turn, would be ex-
banded from nine to 81 mem
bers to provide representation
for the interests whose COM
mittees are being abolished and
for representatives Of key vol
|untary health organizations
such as the TB, cancer and
heart groups.
Dr. Grant found, to his sur
prise. that these last groups had
no real representation on any
|of the nine present health COM
mittees that advise him or the
District Commissioners on
health matters.
The functions to be CO.
ordinated in the expanded adj
visory council DR.. Grant pro-
posed would include those Of
the Hospital Advisory Council,
Food Service Advisory Com
mittee, Advisory Committee Of
the d. c.. Trudeau Society,
Formulary Advisory Commit
tee, Advisory Committee of the
District Medical Society. the
Commissioners new Special
Ad Hoe Committee on Mental
Health Needs. the Commits
sioners' Advisory Committee
on the Alcoholic Clinic and
the various health committees
of the Citizens Council for the
District Of Columbia.
To back up his recommended
tons, DIR. Grant released 20
major failures found in the
department. including a great
lack of coordination Of activ-
tiles and a surprising" lack
Of written policies and set pro-
cedures to guide workers In
their jobs.
The reorganization and its
goals need the approval Of the
District Commissioners plus
approval of the Districts "B"
budget. based on expanded
sources Of revenue. by Con-
gress.
DR.. Grant said he believes
the Commissioners are behind
the general reformation pro-
gram.
Asked how many people did
special reports, studies and re-
views preparatory to the re.
organization, DR.. Grant said
About so. including persons
from the United States Public
Health Service and children'i
Bureau"
In spite OF the backing he
has received thus far, however
DR.. Grant said, Il wouldn't
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