Charging the state is giving third-rate medical care, the chief of staff at Lake Charles Charity Hospital has proposed a five-point program for overhauling the state hospital system. Top priority on the list offered by Dr. Robert O. Emmett was a proposal to take politics out of the "system. He laid the blame for what he called an antiquated system on members of the board pf administrators serving*
at the pleasure of the gover-
nor.
In his second point, Dr. Emmett said he would abolish the boards and replace their members with representatives from medical schools at Louisiana State University and Tulane University and others as recommended by the deans of the schools. $3 Million More
Dr. Emmett said New Orleans should have about $3 million dollars more than what it's getting now to restore the hospital to its "former splendor and attractiveness."
He said the state should allow about $1.5 million dollars more annually to the budgets of the LSU School of Medicine for fulltime professors and instructors. This will enhance the program offered to medical students, interns and residents at New Orleans, he said.
In his final point, Dr. Emmett urged that all state hospital administrators be placed under civil service and each be a specialist in the field of hospital administration. This would include the present director of
state hospitals or the deputy director. Charity Is <Key>
He said the key to the state hospital is New Orleans' Charity because of its nearness to the LSU and Tulane medical schools. New Orleans' Charity supplies the other state hospitals with interns and when it suffers, the other institutions suffer, he said.
"Slowly, over a period of 15 to 20 years, she is not as attractive to interns or residents as she used to be,'* Dr. Emmett said. "Why? Apparently the board of administrators has slowly led her down." No Representation
He noted that LSU and Tulane medical schools have no representation on the board.
He criticized a cutback in X-ray and laboratory services and the low pay of interns and residents.
At Charity in New Orleans interns receive $125 a month and residents, $125. At Touro Infirmary, the matching rates are $210 and $235.
