Mrs. Mary Evelyn Parker, commissioner of administration for Gov. John J. McKeithen, Tuesday was preparing a directive in connection with the report of a committee that studied the operation of Charity Hospital at New Orleans.
The committee, appointed by McKeithen, commented on all facets of the hospital operation. After receiving the report McKeithen announced he was directing Mrs. Parker to draw up the directive to be issued the hospital board. McKeithen also said he plans to appoint a new board within the next 10 days; some of the new members will come from the committee that studied the operation, he said.
Dr. Leo Kern, director of Charity Hospital, said he had no comment on the committee report.
COMPLETE TEXT The full text of that report follows: "All of us who readily ac-
cepted your invitation to serve on the survey committee for Charity Hospital of New Orleans fully realize that, in the short space of four weeks, it has been impossible to delve into all the problems with which an institution of this magnitude is faced. We did, however, interview members of the present board of administrators of Charity Hospital of New Orleans and the deans of the medical schools and dental school, concerning the hospital. Some of us also made outside inquiries. Nevertheless, we feel that we have barely "scratched the surface." Despite such limitations and with those reservations, we submit herewith this report which of necessity must be couched in general terms. "Not necessarily in the order of their importance, these are some of our findings:
(1) It is our bpinion that a strong board of administrators should always be appointed to administer the affairs of the Charity Hospital of New Orleans. The board members should be carefully chosen from people in the New Orleans area so that it would be convenient for them to attend the meetings. These members should be very dedicated people and should make every attempt to attend all of the meetings. In fact, a provision might be made that if a member missed three consecutive meetings, he
would be dropped from the board unless excused.
"We also suggest that a study be made of the existing basic law governing the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, with a view of endeavoring to have portions there of incorporated in the constitution, and that this study should include consideration of appointment of members for staggered terms and appointment of members for staggered terms and appointment of members by the governor on the recommendation of designated groups, similar in principal to the plan in effect in relation to the selection of members of the board of commissioners of the port of New Orleans.
(2) It is our opinion that the new board of administrators should discharge the responsibility of maintaining a full-time experienced hospital director vested with authority.
(3) We also feel that the incoming board of administrators should discharge the responsibility of employing an experi-
enced, tull-time comptroller, who is thoroughly versed in hospital administration and cost control accounting and who will, currently and no less than monthly, make available the financial reports.
"4. While we have not had the time to make any detailed study to the proposed budget of the hospital, we are satisfied that the allocation of funds by the state for the administration of the hospital is inadequate. The amount or degree of the inadequacy could not be determined, however, in the very limited period of our study. We feel that the per diem cost of $18 at Charity Hospital of New Orleans, as compared with the lowest per diem cost of $26 at other comparable hospitals around the country, is perhaps not so much an indication of an economic operation as probably an indication that inadequate service is being rendered to the patients because of inadequate funds.
LIAISON BLAMED
"5. It is obvious there has not been a proper liaison between the board of administrators and the medical staff. We, therefore, recommend that this condition be corrected at once. The incoming board and the medical staff should be instructed by you to immediately work out a plan whereby there will be complete understanding, liaison and proper communication between the two groups at all times.
"The committee also recommends that you ask the members of the board appointed by you to amend the hospital bylaws so as to include a declaration that the deans, or their representatives, of Tulane Medical School, LSU School of Medicine and Loyola School of
Dentistry" if not members, have a standing invitation to attend all regular meeting of the board "6. It is our feeling, too, that the relationship between the care of indigents and medical research should be spelled out for the guidance of the medical staff, the medical schools, the dental school and the board of administrators. At present, there is no definite agreement on the extent to which the hospital should devote its time, its staff and its
money to medical research and teaching, as compared with the day to day care of indigents. This question should be resolved as soon as the new board has been named and the liaison with the medical staff perfected. "7. It is recommended to the board that a thorough survey be made regarding the in-take of patients. Each case should be thoroughly screened to see if they qualify as patients at Charity Hospital.
"8. The board should thoroughly investigate the filling of the internships available at Charity Hospital of New Orleans. For the year 1964-65, out of 126 internships available at Charity Hospital, only 84 positions were filled. This number of interns does not permit coverage for the needs of the hospital.
"9. The board should make a thorough investigation of the nursing program and a study should also be undertaken to ascertain that all Louisiana girls are being given every opportunity to attend and graduate from the Charity Hospital nursing school.
"10. It is recommended that the director of the state department of hospitals of Louisiana serve as the governor's liaison to the board of administrators of Charity Hospital of New Or-
leans, to assist in resolving problems common to Charity Hospital of New Orleans, and other state hospitals. It is also suggested that this liaison of ficial could serve in relation to Confederate Memorial Hospital in Shreveport.
OUTSIDE FIRM
"11. In the event funds are available, the new board of administrators should consider employing an outside firm to make a report and recommendations to the board in the administering of Charity Hospital of New Orleans. This certainly would increase the efficiency of the operation of the hospital and would more than pay for itself in the long run.
"It is not to be inferred from this report that your survey committee was able to dig deep enough into the problems of the Charity Hospital of New Orleans to be in a position to praise or criticize anyone who has had any official connection with the hospital. We have only tried to apply good business judgement and unprejudiced common sense to this study, and hope that we have been of some help to you."
