Board of Directors Meeting, October 1, 1953 3
Dr. Manning--This thing is not quite as simple as you think. My suggestion is simply this--if somebody can come up here with a sensible program and say to Dr. Palmer "You take October" he will scream his head off; then you call Dr. Rupp and say "you take October and Dr. Wright November" and down the line for five months. I do not think it is fair to take October for Dr. Palmer, because he has had to cover during August and September. The time is coming when we will have to apply pressure, but I have never seen Dr. Palmer turn down a call on an emergency.
Dr. Harry Thompson--Are we talking about the same thing? Each one's obligation to the County Hospital is just the same. Let us suggest rotation and call attention to the fact that they are obligated under their pledge to serve; let the Governing Board set up a schedule and notify all these men of their action.
Dr. Beaton--They are obligated as individuals and not as members of some anesthesia trust.
Dr. Kent--What right has Dr. Wright to stand up against the Society?
Dr. Manning--Because he works for Dr. Rupp. What do you think, Dr. Bean? I do not believe you ever get Dr. Rupp to go down there except under great duress.
Dr. Harry Thompson--They may respond to such a letter very nicely and we can always go farther.
Dr. Manning--What will we do while waiting for response?
Dr. Engle--I do not think either Dr. Rupp or Dr. Palmer will make up a schedule they can agree upon.
Dr. Manning--But what happens in October with your anesthesia department?
Dr. Thompson--They serve a month and they should be covered. If we have the same problem two months from now, I suggest we put it in the hands of the Board of Censors.
Dr. Bean--the night calls have been covered by a nurse anesthetist paid by the County, and he now has withdrawn that.
Dr. Kent--If you ever got a letter from the Society saying that you did not cover you surgical service, you would do something about it.
Dr. Manning--Dr. Rupp was supposed to cover, August, September and October, and he has not done it. This thing is important to Dr. Bean and to the hospital. Let one patient die because you have a nurse anesthetist when you could not get a physician, and the resultant publicity would be devastating.
Dr. Kent--It is our job to set it up and to have one man say he will not do it is ridiculous.
Dr. Engle--I still object to your indicating that the whole fault is Dr. Rupp's. It is just as bi-lateral as it can be. I am the one who made the motion that the problem be brought up here at this meeting.
Dr. Manning--This letter implies it is Dr. Rupp's fault.
Dr. Engle--Let us divide the responsibility.
Dr. Beaton--I move that a letter be written from this Board to each of the five anesthesiologists in town, calling their attention to the fact that subsequent to receipt of a letter from the Governing Board of the Pima Count Hospital the Board of Directors of this Society has discussed the difficulties about scheduling of anesthesia responsibility at the County Hospital; and to the fact that membership in the County Medical Society implies responsibility towards the Pima County Hospital and its services; that in order to solve the difficulties we are suggesting that each anesthesiologist be assigned one month of anesthesia responsibility and are asking the Governing Board of the Pima County General Hospital so to handle the matter; and that there is no question of favoritism and no intent to imply fault one way or the other, but only to correct the situation.
Dr. Bean--How might that effect the nurse anesthetist?
Dr. Beaton included in his motion the status quo of the nurse anesthetist.
Motion seconded by Dr. Leo J. Kent.
