Show MEDICAL SURVEY IN U. U S. S PLANNED 8 ElY PH PHYSICIANS Existing Health Conditions Conditions Conditions Condi Condi- May Be Revolutionized Revolutionized f by Move By By Dy FREDERICK WILLIAM WILE V WASHINGTON ASIlI May 28 At 28 At priS private S vate Yate meetings held during the American Medical association convention con con- In Washington n last week comprehensive plans pans were ere formulated formulated formulated formu formu- for lor surveying surveying the whole field fieldS of al practice in the United S. S S States The purpose 1 is ij to Investigate investigate investigate gate the tho subject of 01 he the peoples people's J. J S health from top to bottom and primarily primarily t marily from an economic standpoint The he intention broadly stated is to find out whether the prevention and cure euro of disease are being conducted con conI conducted con con- I ducted on lines that are thoroughly thorough thorough- S l ly sound or whether in any Important important important im im- Im- Im direction there is need for fundamental changes of method To 10 ToS S tackle the high cost of h alth seems Reems to In slogan form S the the- pro ram pro ram of the eminent group of medical educators and practitioners ers who have launched a project projectS S which may lead to revolutionary developments doS de do- S Their object in other words is to d determine termine by bv Intensive intensive sive ive scrutiny whether medical practice Is in all respects adequate l' l effective and economically carried S on S. S r STEPS TAKEN Preliminary steps were ere taken outride out out- ride lIide of regular sessions or section meetings of tho the Ameri American Medical association They w were re the result of a a. call issued by representative men earlier in the year yell for a series of conferences while the medical ll association convention was in ress The conferees some fifty or sixty In number met mot on the premises of the American Red fled Cross society Two major sessions were vere held Dr 1 Ray Lyman Wilbur presIdent presIdent president pres pres- ident and former professor o 0 of medIcine medicine medi mod cine elne of Stanford university presided presided presided pre pre- sided at on ons ona of them and Dr Lewi- Lewi lyn F P. Barker professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins university sity at the other The extraordinary extraordinary extraordinary nary importance of the movement sub subsequently eq launched is indicated Indicated- by the identities of the men and women who participated In the conference con con- ference ferenc With few exceptions they are the luminaries in the American medical firmament Among them were vere Dr Frank BillIngs BillIngs Bill Bill- Ings of Chicago Dr Winford Vinford H. H Smith director of Johns Hopkins I hospital hospitalS Baltimore Dr Charles E. E A. A Vin Window ow professor of public health at the Yale Medical school Dr Dl H. H H. H Moore educational di director director dl- dl rector United States public health service Washington Dr Louis I I. I Harris health commissioner of New NewYork NewYork NewYork York City John A. A Kingsbury secretary sec see of the Milbank memorial fund New York Dr John Shelton Horsley surgeon of Richmond Va Walton Valton H. H Hamilton of the BrookIngs Brookings Brook- Brook Ings school of economies economics s Washington Washing Washing- ton Dr E. E L. L Bishop state health commissioner of Tennessee Dr James B. B Bruce director of the de department department do- do of internal medi medicine ine at atthe atthe atthe the University of Michigan Geore George E. E Barnett professor of statistics Johns Hopkins university Richard M M. 1 Broadley of the Thompson Foundation lon Boston Surgeon General General General Gen Gen- eral Hugh S. S Cumming of the United United United Unit Unit- ed States public health service Dr Haven Emerson professor of public health administration Columbia university Miss Blanche M. M Haines of the the- Childrens Children's bureau department of labor Washington Dr Shelby M r. r. r Harrison vice general director of the Russell Sa Sage e foundation Dr Di A A. T. T McCormack state health of W v v Willoughby- Willoughby director Institute for fot Governmental Research Washington Washing Washing- ton Dr M 1 M. M C. C Vint dean of Yale medical school medical school Dr Eugene R. R Whitmore professor of and pathology Georgetown university L Iz 11 i. i David professor professor pro pro- fessor of clinical medicine University University University sity of Pennsylvania Dr Homer H. H Calver executive e secretary of American Public Health association Dr Louis 1 T. Dublin Metropolitan l Life Insurance company Miss l Hildegarde Hildegarde Hil- Hil degarde Kneeland bureau of home economics Washington Dr DI S. S W. W Welch Velch state health commissioner of Alabama James A. A Tobey Borden Borden Borden Bor- Bor den Milk l company Dr Leo Yu Vol Volman man of the national bureau of ot economic economic economic eco eco- research New New York Edward A. A Woods of the Equitable Life LICe Assurance Society Dr C. C C. C Pierce director of western division United States public health service and Dr WaIler Waller S. S Leathers professor of preventative medicine Vanderbilt university EFFECTS PROBED Proceedings at the preliminary conferences In Washington dealt broadly with the question as to what wha effects the practice of medicine as now conducted in the United States is having Naturally lly such a question question ques ques- tion opens up up an almost Interminable interminable able abl of Inquiry It includes Ina in ina ina a very special degree the subject of ot agencies like the Rockefeller and Russell Sage foundations and other similar institutions less richly en endowed endowed endowed en- en dowed and their influence on public on-public public h health alth The inquiry leads directly direct direct- ly into the the important domain of hospitalization and whether hospitals hos lies should come to be more and more state maintained as was concretely concretely concretely con con- advocated in ils us inaugural ral rai address by Dr Jabez North Jackson of Kansas City the new president of the American Medical association Dr Jackson urges the establishment of hospitals available available available avail avail- able to the great middle class of men and women with only moderate means The projected survey is to o embrace the vital issue of the surveying sur sur- eying system as as' nb now regulated with a d. view to expansion The roles which are played In Inthe Inthe inthe the r region i-gion gion of public health by COlleges colleges colleges col COl- col- col leges and universities private medical medical medical medi medi- cal schools dispensaries and industrial in industrial in- in organizations which employ employ employ em em- ploy doctors and nurses for tor the care of their theil own staffs staffs staffs-a a growing development in the United States- States are all to be bo X-rayed X thoroughly The part taken by Industrial physician phy phy- surgeons and medical medic l specialists specialists of all kinds will as a matter matter mat mat- ter ot or course come in for mg ing investigation S FACTS INADEQUATE It was the consensus of opinion that the facts in ip hand are ale made made- inadequate inadequate quate to supply the comprehensive picture desired namely desired namely to discover exactly how cost considered the American community is being served medically It was accordingly accordingly accordingly accord accord- decided to appoint a committee of eighteen which is to consist of representatives of colleges universities universities and various foundations foundation fro from fron which necessary financial sinews sinews' can be exp expected Leading economists mists are to be invited to Cooperate with medical authorities in this notable attempt to elucidate the best m methods of preventing and curing disease A committee of five was named and clothed with authority to select thirteen additional mem mem- bers bore These fire tire are Dr Barker of Johns Hopkins Professor Winslow of Yale Dr Smith of John Hopkins hopkins Hop Hop- kins hospital Dr pl Moore l e- e of ot the L States public health service and Michael Davis a leader in medical medical medi medi- cal foundation activities o of ot New York The committee of eighteen expects to be subsidized to lo the ex extent extent ex- ex tent of for the first filst year and to a considerably more munificent degree later on A survey to last altogether five rive years is Representative spokesmen of the physicians and surgeons of the United States discussed the medical survey sur with the liveliest t interest during their recent conclave In Washington All seemed conscious that it can can eventually eventually eventually event event- lead to things that might mean an economic upheaval In the medical medical medical medi medi- cal profession Doctors therefore eagerly hope for the opportunity of taking part in the survey Many feel its effects may mav be he so that some plan of state medicine i i i. e e. e state employed physicians to render medical medial service to the community com corn or state health Insurance may result from an air inquiry of wholly character Copyright 1927 |