Montgomery County Sentinel

14,000 Patients Treated In Suburban Emergency Room

Over fourteen thousand cases were treated during 1960 in the Emergency Room at Suburban Hospital, according to Mrs. Amelia C. Carter, Administrator of the hospital. She stated that this is the highest number in the history of the 17-year-old community hospital.

"The 24-hour service of Suburban Hospital continues to be available," emphasized Mrs. Carter. "The hospital wants the community to know that everything within our power is being done to give adequate professional coverage. We ask the cooperation of our friends in not overburdening the Emergency Room facilities when the case could best be treated in the private physician's office."

"The Emergency Room facilities at Suburban Hospital are maintained as a service to the people of the area who have been injured and are in need of emergency medical attention," continued Mrs. Carter. She stated that when an injured person is taken to the Emergency Room of Suburban Hospital a member of House Staff is called to determine the extent of the injury. The name of the patient's physician is determined, and he is called on the case. In the event the patient has no physician, a private doctor on call is summoned. However, in critical cases, the house doctor or practicing physician on the Day-Call Roster goes ahead and treats the injury after which the patient is referred to a private doctor.

Mrs. Carter went on to say "Every effort should be made by patients to contact their private physician for instructions before coming to the hospital. Patients are treated in our Emergency Room in the order of the severity of their injury, and are treated for one visit only."

The American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association have ruled that foreign doctors in this country who have failed to pass an American Medical Qualification Examination must be removed. Suburban Hospital, like many other hospitals, consequently has a shortage of Residents and Internes.