Board of Directors Meeting, June 10, 1953 2
Dr. Kuhlman--the one thing that comes to my mind is the question of subject matter. Lindsay spoke on multiple sclerosis, and there are not too many doctors concerned with that. But if you take the common cuts and those things, unless you mention each method that every doctor uses, then they can say "My doctor does not do it that way." I think that the tendency would be to put the doctor treating the thing on the spot. Unless he were to conform 100% with what the discussion was. As I said the other day, if this is the type of thing that will promote better relationships, I am for it, but if it is something that is going to make it difficult for some of the men, I would think it unwise. If we could regulate it so that everyone is not being compared to what is said on the program, it would be all right.
Dr. Beaton--The programs at Phoenix were rather more general than you think. Topics were chosen by the inquiries from the listeners.
Dr. Steen--Hugh Thompson talked about child psychology.
Dr. Manning--They have already had queries. One was referable to automobile accidents. The other was about what to do about doctors' high fees and about malpractice. A program on how the Society works, and how the County Hospital works, could be worked out.
Dr. Kent--The public is screaming for medical information and forums, etc.; it is clamoring for information and likes to obtain it from its doctors. The present objections mean that we hole up and clam up and don't give out any information, and that is resented by the public. The claim is made that one calls the hospital for information about a patient, and is answered by a Mexican interne with "I do not know," or, "He is still alive." People want a personal touch with the doctors just like we want to improve our lawyer-doctor relationship. I think it could be handled on TV. Use general subjects only--not specialized subjects. Bob (Hastings) gave his talk on fractures. He was introduced as a bone surgeon, and he bent over backwards by saying that some men treated a condition this way, he did it this way.
Dr. Costin--What would be the objection as a start to rule out such subjects and include only those which are non-controversial?
Dr. Harry Thompson--The problem is 'do we want better public relations via TV?' We have a major problem here--the County Hospital--and we have been working hard on this project. I think we should have a program on TV, and I do not think there is any better public relations than a series of things showing our medical needs in Tucson. That would leave out all personalities, and so on, and it has already been before the public in the papers. If you decide that our public relations is worth what we spend on it, let's turn our attention to the County Hospital. You can sell the people of Tucson faster on public relation than on all the other subjects. First decide if we can afford it, if not, can the State afford it, and then go on from there.
Dr. Manning--No money is involved here.
Dr. Harry Thompson--That is what we now think. If we do consider programs, I would like to see the thing that is in the public mind now--'what are we going to do for the hospitalization'--presented by running a series on County Hospital, throwing these other subjects in a very careful manner. It is a natural.
Dr. Hayden--I feel that Harry is right except for one thing. You must have variety.
Dr. Manning--I asked Ben Slack about that, telling him we thought it might be better to stay away from controversial subjects, and whether we could use information of how our County Hospital runs, etc. He said it would be fine to take up 3 or even 4 programs, but he doubted he would be able to sell the sponsor on advertising how much the doctors are doing in Tucson, because what the public wants to know is what to do when Johnny falls down and is unconscious, and what to do when pappy has to get up 7 x during the night. This will have to be studio stuff. The thought was to have a doctor, or
