CMMC Chief, Jackson Engage in Verbal Battle on Hospital

              4-A Wednesday, April 5, 1972 THE SHREVEPORT TIMES
Newly Elected Louisiana legislators
from the 4th Congressional District who
attended a luncheon at Confederate
Memorial Medical Center yesterday
pause in the pharmacy where longtime
employe Nita McMichael greeted them.
Miss McMichael is chatting with Board
Chairman T. B. Lanford. (Times Photo
by Billy Upshaw)
CMMC Chief, Jackson Engage
In Verbal Battle on Hospital
By Margaret Martin
Times Medical Writer
Confederate Memorial Medi-cal
Center Director Dr. Edgar
Galloway and newly elected
black Shreveport legislator Al-phonse
Jackson Jr. launched in-to
a verbal battle over treat-ment
of patients and employes
at the institution—the teaching
hospital for the Louisiana State
University School of Medicine
at Shreveport.
The confrontation came at the
end of a luncheon and tour of
the hospital sponsored by the
Confederate Board of Directors.
Jackson, reiterating com-plaints
voiced in a petition
made public last month, asked
what had been done to reduce
the waiting time in the admit-ting
room.
The legislator also asked why
there were no blacks in supervi-sory
positions. "Is it because
they are unaware of the process
for promotion or not given the
opportunity . . ."
Jackson said almost all the
employes in the laundry were
blacks and he added, "the
higher you go in terms of
responsibility in the hospital,
the whiter the department."
No Grievance Plan
He complained, too, that there
was no place for employes to
take grievances.
Assistant Administrator Rob-ert
Hall initially answered Jack-son,
explaining that the board
and staff "are aware of and
trying to reduce the waiting
period — not all have to wait."
And he said that the new
outpatient clinic under construc-tion
and additional personnel —
if money becomes available —
should help alleviate the prob-lem.
Hall also said that the prob-lem
of hiring black supervisory
personnel is "not a problem of
discrimination, but a problem of
not having any available to
hire."
"How many black secretaries
do you have?" Jackson inter-rupted.
"We hired one last month,"
answered Hall quickly.
"That's the first one," Jack-son
commented.
'That's right, that's the first
one," Hall answered.
"That's progress," Jackson
added.
Galloway — whose position
comes up for renewal with the
inauguration of incoming Gov.
Edwin Edwards — moved from [
his seat on the side of the room
to the front of the table.
"I know a lot better than you!
'. what is going on in this
hospital," he said to Jackson.
"I disagree," Jackson answ-ered.
Galloway said there was no
truth in the accusations, and!
Jackson said, "There is."
"There isn't," Galloway said
again. "I don't believe a thing
you said."
"I'm not easily frightened I
. . ." Jackson said when Gallo-way
shook a finger in his face.
"I don't believe you heard this
. . ." the director reiterated.
To this Jackson replied, "No
shouting match will serve a I
j useful purpose. I simply say to !
' you you have serious problems
in the area of human relations."
"I don't agree," Galloway
interrupted. "Cite instances."
Jackson said he could, but
Board Chairman T. B. Lanford
said he would be glad to confer
with the legislator at any time
about any matter.
But Galloway had the parting
shot, "I think a hell of a lot
more of this hospital than you
do. You can't tell me anything
about it I don't know.
"Most black people in this
hospital don't think the way you
do."
At least two of the legislators
partially agreed with Jackson.
V. C. Shannon said although
Confederate is "a very good
facility, it is overcrowded and
antiquated. It certainly needs to
be gone into, explored and
investigated to the fullest. Em-ploye
relations means efficiency
to the fullest."
And Sen.-elect C. Kay Carter
observed that the "problems
—
are very large."
He said there was not only a
lack of communication between
the "political aspect and the
hospital," but between the hos-pital
and its employes and the
hospital and the community.
He pointed out that some
patients might come one day
and not be seen, "and may not
be seen the next day — maybe
some do not need to be here in
the first place."
He suggested the possibility of
smaller clinics in the communi-ty.
Several of the legislators
praised the work of the hospital.
Sen.-elect Don W. Williamson
said he felt additional funds for
more personnel would help take
care of the situation and he
praised the hospital staff while
Harold Montgomery said, "It
takes time to admit patients to
this hospital. Nothing in my
opinion to speed it up except
more facilities, doctors, more
money . . ."
Republicans Impressed
Both Republican representa-tives
said they were impressed
with the operation of the hospi-tal.
B. F. O'Neal commented "it
is not perfect, but the world we
live in is not perfect. Problems
are being worked on . . .,"
while Art Sour said he thought it
would be presumptuous to think
patients at Confederate would
be treated with the same
manner in which a family
doctor treats his patients.
Other legislators attending the
meeting were Rep. Louise John-son
of B e r n i c e , and Sen.
Jackson B. Davis of Shreveport.
Other board members at the
meeting were Vice Chairman
Tony P e r n i c i, Dr. Charles
Black, Dr. Andrew Mullen and
Tommy Thompson of Minden.
Medical school officials pre-sent
were Dr. Edgar Hull, dean
of the local school; Dr. George
Meneely, associate dean, a n d
Dr. William Stewart of New
Orleans, LSU Medical Center
chancellor.