AMERICAN HOSPITAL METHODS

Evening Star, Issue 18853, 30 January 1925, Page 3

AMERICAN HOSPITAL METHODS

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AHD ORGANISATION. DR FALCONER’S TOUR. Judging from what is disclosed in his report to the Otago Hospital Board, Dr A. R. Falconer must have had an. extremely busy time during his recent visit to America. The report was as under: — “ During my stay in Canada and the United States of America I visited various hospitals in Vancouver, Banff, Uranlord, Winnipeg, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Chicago, Ann Arbor (Michigan), Detroit, London (Ontario), Toronto, Buffalo, Cleveland, Montreal, Boston, New .Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Loins, Kansas City, Los Angeles, San Iraucisco, and the Mayo Clinic at Rochester (Minnesota). I also visited a number of medical schools in several of the above cities. I also visited the hospitals at Suva and Honolulu.

PSYCHOPATHIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS: MENTAL HYGIENE.

“ I visited special psychopathic hospitals and clinics at Winnipeg, Ann Arbor (Michigan), Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Baltimore, and Cincinnati; mental hospitals at London (Ontario) and White Plains (New York); State'Hospital for the feebleminded at Waver ley (Mass.), and the mental wards attached to many of the goneial hospitals in various cities. 1 made a special inquiry into the subject of mental hygiene, receiving much advice, and assistance from the heads of the Canadian and American National Committees for Mental Hygiene. I had been given credentials by tbe°New Zealand Minister of Mental Hospitals, and will later on make a special report on this subject for transmission to him. NOISING EDUCATION.

“I particularly investigated the activities of nursing training visiting the principal university schools of musing and conferring with most of the leaders ot the nursing profession in America on the subject, of nursing administration and education, including. Professors Adelaide Nutting (Columbia University! and Professors Annie Goodrich and Grace Powell (the deans of the. Schools of Nursing at Tale and the Western Reserve Universities respectively). HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT.

“1 noted many facts in connection with the lay-out of a hospital which it will be of great advantage to embody in, the fin.Tl plans of the Dunedin Hospital. I had an opportunity of conferring in the matter with Dr Gold water, hospital consultant and director of Now fork, the loading authority in America on this subject. 1 found in Michign an isolation ward which we could copy with advantage at the proposed new infectious diseases hospital at Wakari. The details obtained in regard to psychopathic hospitals will be of use when such an institution is built in Dunedin. 1 took lo America the draft plans of the new diet kitchen block of the Dunedin Hospital. These were given to a leading engineering firm in America on kitchen const ruction and equipment, ami they have voluntarily prepared revised plans embodying many excellent, ideas, also forwarding at my request, through the controller of stores, specifications of kitchen equipment. It was also a fortunate circumstance that, the controller of stoves (Mr Downes) and myself were enabled to spend two days together systematically inspecting all varieties of hospital equipment at the great hospital exhibit, at Buffalo. Mr Downes was most assiduous in gaining information. CONFERENCES. “T attended as a guest of honor the following conferencesA. Joint Hospital Conference of the American College of Surgeons with the. Manitoba Hospital Association at, Winnipeg, the, annual conference of the American Hospital Association at Buffalo, the annual conference of the American Dietetic Association at Boston, the Hospital Conference of the Clinical Congress of the American College, of Surgeons at New Vcnl;. 1 also represented the.Otago University at Hie. inauguration of the president at the Western Reserve University at Cleveland and the opening of , the new medical school. SCIENTIFIC HEALTH SOCIETIES. “ I visited the headquarters anti informed myself of the following scientific | and health societies : -Canadian Bed Cross Society, American Red (Toss Society, Canadian Division St. John Ambulance Association. American Hospital Association, American Dietetic, Assocation, American Medical Association. American College of Surgeons, American Social Hygiene Association, American Society for the Control of Cancer, American Child Health Association, American Society of Social Workers, American Occupational Therapy Association, National Committee for Mental Hygiene, National Organisation for Public Health Nursing, National Tuberculosis Association, New York Heart Association, National Health Council (New' York), Rockefeller Foundation, CINCINNATI FEDERATION OF HEALTH. “ I was given an opportunity of investigating a, unique method adopted at Cincinnati of linking up the various philantropic and voluntary health societies, and was present at their conference when Professor Haven Emerson (Columbia, University) gave an interesting appreciation of tile role of the voluntary health society and its relation lo the official health authority. HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. “ 1 investigated the Activities of the public health departments at Winnipeg, Toronto, Washington, and California. I was given an opportunity of visiting some of the pneumonic plague patients at Los Angeles, and of investigating on the spot tho measures adopted by the California State Board of Health in preventing the spread of the recent epidemic of that disease at Los Angeles, MILITARY MEDICAL SERVICES. “ I visited military hospitals at St. Paul and Washington, and spent time in tho Surgeon-General's office at Washing- j ton in studying tho American plan of mobilisation of the. military and civilian medical services as now laid down in tho i new scheme for the defence of the United I States of America. ! “Dr Wilson, in his printed report of hospitals of Canada nnd United Slates of America dated November 13, 1923, has deoil with a largo portion of the hospital field in an illuminating manner, which it is unnecessary to again cover. I shall endeavor, however, as special subjects arise on which tho Hospital Board desires information, to apply the lessons to be learnt from America to our own particular needs. I have, however, in n, number of subjects not yet completed my study, and have a. considerable amount of literature and official reports to read (as a, check to my own notes), which I had no. opportunity of studying during a. somewhat strenuous visit, of inspection, “ I propose formulating for tho next meeting of the board my ideas what should he the future hospital policy in New Zealand, a subject at present of special interest to the dominion as a whole. “ 1 received the utmost kindness and courtesy from the hospital, health, and defence authorities in America and Canada, for which I am very grateful. Grent trouble was taken by them in furnishing mo with all the information T desired, and I had ready access to the various institutions and departments. The report was received.