COL. FORBES: asked for his recommendations concerning additional aides.
SURGEON BAHRANBURG: suggested 12 as the number of physio-therapy aides; and the same number for occupational aides. He added a few words concerning the clinic at St. Louis, stating that they had 162 cases last month; that they have an x-ray laboratory, etc., and that the cost of operation of the dental clinic was a little over $8000 a month.
SURGEON YOUNG: inquired as to the basis on which were derived the figures for total per diem cost.
COL. FORBES: that the Bureau has a complete analysis of the cost of operation, and that this matter would be discussed later in the conference.
DR. SANFORD: stated that he was interested in the dental clinic in Denver, and remarked that the dental clinic was the hardest to handle. He added that their dental bill for one month was $3760, but that their expenses in that connection were much less now; that they have a personnel of eight full-time doctors—three men in the laboratory; and that the clinic there is a complete one.
COL. FORBES: “There is no question but what the fee basis is costly. Our own clinics are the most economical.”
COL. BRATTON (Army & Navy Gen. Hosp.): asked how long this expense for dental treatment was to continue,—if it were to continue during a man’s life.
COL. FORBES: stated that the law provides that any man who has 8% disability has a dental disability; that the x-ray is largely responsible for this dental treatment; that the matter is one to be adjusted by those present who are responsible for having the x-rays made and for prescribing dental treatment.
SURGEON McKEON: made reference to Colonel Patterson’s paper and the necessity for removing men from hospitals as soon as the need for hospital treatment ceases to exist. He stated that men are retained in hospitals longer than is necessary, due largely to the fact that they want to take up vocational training. He recommended that the Rehabilitation Division make a survey of a patient about three months prior to discharge, so that when the patient is able to be discharged from the hospital, he may enter training at once.
COL. FORBES: Read Section 2 regarding vocational training; but added that in the rearrangement of the Veterans’ Bureau now in process there will be a closer liaison between the Rehabilitation Division and the Medical Division, and the Rehabilitation Division will be represented in the hospitals.