Show I Help For Millions Of Disabled I Comes To Americas America's Doorstep Dy Oy DR WILLIAM S. S CLARK I l Director of 01 Medical Care Carl The Th National Foundation New NelD York I N. N NY Y How In the world can the March of Dimes possibly meet the needs of the mill millions mil lions of people afflicted with crippling birth defects detects and arthritis That question is often orten addressed to me as director of The National Foundations Foundation's medical care program An impressive precedent has been set in the polio fI fight ht with some polio patents patients receiving receiving re re- direct assistance from the tho March of Dimes since 1938 at a cost of more than mil mil- lion Now that The National Foundation has expanded its program to Include even more widespread conditions of crippling crippling crip crap pling it has taken positive action ac acs tion to deal with the te needs of vastly greater numbers of people At this moment at tit t least Americans are completely com com- completely completely unable to work because they have rheumatic diseases and are the most seriously rippled crippled among the who suffer sutTer from arthritis and rheumatism Moreover each year in this country some babies are born with significant significant sig sig- birth defects I Early Carly Diagnosis Needed We know that early diagnosis sis and prompt treatment of both arthritis and birth defects can do much to prevent or re reduce ye- ye duce disability Yet the facilities facilities ties the techniques and the medical knowledge to do so so are available to relatively few who should be getting atten atten- tion The average hospital right now is barely able to maintain present levels of patient care It n rarely has funds for creative pro programs programs rams designed to solve today to to- day days s complex patient care problems There has been a desperate need for imaginative action to free tree medical facilities from the lock ste step of explore the possibilities of doing tangs things in a new way and doing them better The National Foundation Foundation tion lion has taken that action in conceiving a bold new medical care program aimed at bringing bring bring- ing expert medical help virtually virtually virtu virtu- ally to the doorstep of patients in every community First National F Foundation SO I I r e g r i i Ji JiJI JI 1 1 r t i i I I t 4 i c II I I A BOLD NEW MEDICAL PROGRAM Dr Williams William S S. S Clark as a. one on of the nations nation's nl recognized medical leaders leaden In his hi field fIld Is I. responsible for or direction of lh the new medical care car program supported by Th The Th National Foundation New Foundation New March of Dimes Dim Concentrating on the th h. h needs need of the Ih Individual patient through the medical t team tam am approach the program Is designed to support re f. research ra search learch and teaching leaching white while vent eventually ally bringing tot total care to p patients tl ts tsIn In every very community Dr Clark Is II shown with wish a birth defects dict victim chapters in each of the nations nation's counties have been given the green light to use local Marof March of Dimes funds in fi fl financing fl Special Treatment Centers at major hospitals and medical schools to diagnose and treat all aU types of birth defects defects de deg or rheumatoid arthritis on both an outpatient and Inpatient inpatient inpatient in- in patient basis These rhese centers will be staffed starred by permanent teams of specialists special specials e equipped to assist with the patient s 5 total medical social so cial and economic needs A large part of their function will willbe willbe be bp the teaching and demonstrating demonstrating demonstrating demon demon- of modern techniques so that new knowledge of the science of treatment will spread ever wider throughout t the community Second chapters in smaller communities are being encouraged encouraged aged to use available March of Dimes funds to establish Eval Evaluation 11 a tion Clinics for birth defects detects or rheumatoid rheumatoid- arthritis at community general hospitals Staffed Starred by visiting specialists such ch sponsored chapter clinics will make the skills of expert medical al teams available to even remote areas on an I outpatient basis Cases requiring more extensive extensive extensive ex ex- care can be referred to the nearest Special Treatment C Center Millions ons to be Aided d These sponsored chapter-sponsored programs pro grams will supplement the national national national na na- na- na organizations organization's grow fast ing network of major Clinical Study Centers in w which ich extensive extensive extensive exten exten- sive research teaching and treatment programs have been combined to produce the knowledge the t techniques and the skilled personnel needed to bring expert medical care are within reach of the millions afflicted with chronic crippling diseases Once again public contributions contributions contributions to the March arch of Dimes have created a new kind of medical care program that is flexible dynamic and adaptable adaptable adaptable adapt adapt- able to the needs of every com com- It carries on the pioneering pioneering pio tradition of The National National Na Na- Foundation in meeting the nations nation's critical health problems |