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Show WARTIME HOSPITAL STANDARDS In view of the prime importance of hospitals in coping with disasters that threaten as a result of sabotage, enemy action, epidemics, and other war related events, Dr. Malcolm T. MacEachern, associate director of the American College of Surgeons, in a statement accompanying the new list of 2,1)89 hospitals approved by the college in the United States, Canada and a few other countries, urges every community to help its approved hospitals in maintaining the standards, and to take measures to stimulate unapproved institutions to improve im-prove their services. The American College of Surgeons, representing some 13,000 leading surgeons in tbe United States, Canada, and other countries, carries on extensive work each year in improving im-proving hospital services. The requirements for approval are fundamental to good hospital care, as may be seen by the following summary of the principles: (1) Modern, well operated physical plant. (2) Constitution and by-laws clearly stating relations, organization, duties and responsibilities. (3) Responsible, enthusiastic governing board. (4) Competent, well trained administrator. (5) Adequate, efficient, properly organized and supervised super-vised staff. (6) Organized medical staff of ethical, competent physicians phy-sicians and surgeons. (7) Adequate diagnostic and therapeutic facilities under competent medical supervision. , (8) Accurate, complete medical records, readily accessible access-ible for research and follow-up. (9) Regular group conferences of administrative staff and of medical staff to review thoroughly their respective activities. (10) A scientific spirit allied with humanitarianism to assure the greatest possible medical and nursing aid to each patient. Bingham Canyon hospital is the only privately-owned hospital and also the smallest hospital in Utah to be approved by the American college of surgeons. Utah hospitals approved by the college were the LDS hospital, Holy Cross hospital, St. Mark's hospital, Salt Lake General hospital and Veterans' hospital in Salt Lake City; the Dee Memorial hospital and the Utah State Tuberculosis sanatorium at Ogden ; the Utah Valley hospital at Provo ; the William Budge Memorial hospital at Logan and the Bingham Canyon hospital at Bingham. The war has unquestionably increased public consciousness conscious-ness of the key importance of the hospital. Always a vital institution, it becomes supremely essential when calamity strikes or impends. Dispatches from the combat zones are full of news of dramatic successes in treating the wounded. On the home front, the Office of Civilian Defense conceives of hospitals as centers for community protection in case of any disaster which might produce casualties. Communities with approved hospitals can help them maintain the standards by cooperating in the solution of personnel per-sonnel and material shortages. In this, as in every American community, we have thankfully watched our doctors march to the colors, knowing that because of their trained minds and skilled hands our boys are far safer than they would have been in any previous war. Out of gratitude to the hospitals in which these doctors were trained, the people owe consideration considera-tion of how they can now assist in relieving shortages of personnel per-sonnel to care for civilian sick and injured. |