The Role of the Catholic Hospital and Medical Staff in Modern Society
Editor: Eugene G. Laforet, M.D. Corresponding Editors: Mariano M. Alimurung, M.D., Manila · Ernest J. Borges, M.D., Bomhay J. Bernard Costello, M.D., Vance 1Ver H. P. Dunn, M.D., Auckland Thomas S. Durant, M.D., Saigon Andrew Gunn, M.D., Dundee Michael Kelly, M~D., Melbourne Prof. 0. K. Khaw, Taipei Chong-Eun (Joannes) Kim, M.D. Seoul Professor T. E. Miura, Tokyo Robert F. O'Donoghue, M.R.C .. O.G., Cork W. B. J. Pemberton, M.D., Lo'1don Michel Riquet, S.J., Paris Victor M. Santana Carlos, M.D., Lisbon James A. Whelton, M.D., Boston (United States correspondent for the foreign journals) LrNACRE QuART ERLY . FATHER HUMENSKY The Second V atioan Council opened the Church's windows to let in the gentle breeze of Pope John's policy of aggiornamento in all phases of its life and activities. It is opportune, therefore, that we also scrutinize the role of the Catholic hospital and its medical staff in modem society, in order to see if and where changes or adaptations may be necessary. To be 'sure, the goals of the Church's apostolate to the siCk and injured, to the infirm and distressed have not changed. However, the methods of achieving these objectives are undergoing constant change and we must address our thinking to this challenging fact lest our hospitals become obsolete and ineffective institutions giving inadequate service to the sick. The task of determining the role of Catholic health institutions and services is rather complicated. The difficulty stems from 'the fact that a number of external pressures and forces have disrupted the traditional method of rendering health services to the sick, including Federal laws such as the Hill-Burton ConstrueMAY, 1967 The Role of the Catholic Hospital a11d Medical Staff in Moder11 Society REVEREND JoHN J. HuMENSKY, S.T.D., PH.D. tion Act, Medicare, Medicaid and other important legislation. Second: modern research in drugs, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical procedures, in addition to the high degree of medical specialization, has improved medical practice tremendously. Some idea of the impact of research on medical practice today can be seen from the magnitude of grants appropriated by Congress to the National Institutes of Healtha sum of 900 million dollars. Private industry, philanthropies and Foundations appropriated many more millions for the same purpose. In fact, all of this has ushered in an era of unprecedented medical care in functional, air-conditioned hospitals that are equipped with sophisticated equipment which requires highly specialized personnel with technical skills to operate it. Third: Blue Cross and Blue Shield prepayment plans have set a new pattern of health insurance that has changed the whole concept of reimbursement to hospitals and physicians. Fourth: organized labor has been negotiating fringe benefits in the fi.eld of health