Board of Directors Meeting, October 7, 1954 9
Letter was received, and read by the Secretary, from Dr. Arthur V. Dudley, concerning the narcotics problem in this area. Dr. Dudley suggested that a list be compiled by the Medical Society, listing the known addicts, their addresses, and the doctor who is attending them, this in order to eliminate injustices to the patients who are in need of narcotics for terminal illness or prolonged period, and to avoid being involved by addicts who are already under treatment by another physician.
Dr. Beaton--You can't do it. It is illegal.
Dr. Carreras--When I was new I met this same problem. As soon as a new doctor comes to town he gets these calls.
Dr. Beaton--I move we acknowledge Dr. Dudley's letter and thank him for his interest in this matter and tell him we will request advice from legal counsel as to how such a scheme can be carried out.
Dr. Thompson--There is an alternative and that is that an addict should be reported to the Bureau. This is the simplest and the easiest way. I wonder if he knows this?
Dr. Hileman--I second the motion.
Dr. Thompson--You don't get any action from them at all (the Bureau). You simply give them the names and say you suspect that they are an addict and that is all you hear about, but is helps them compile a record and they have caught a few. If I am sure of one making that approach, then I should call it in, and I won't be bothered by them. I think that is true of the Hospitals, too. Simple procedure and you are entirely protected.
Dr. Beaton--You never have any trouble at all. I have reported many addicts.
Dr. Manning--This is a chance to do the thing we have been talking about--indoctrination. We could stop him in the hall some day and talk about it to him.
Dr. Bernstein--Last meeting we started what we called, for a lack of a better name, a "professional committee." Kind of a big-brother committee, and Dudley, for instance, could come before the committee and be advised and told of the common practice here in managing situations like that and other questions.
Motion carried.
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Letter from Dr. Blair W. Saylor was received, and read by the Secretary, relative to several insurance problems which have arisen with the Hughes Aircraft Company, specifically one concerning payment by the insurance company for medical services to the patient and subsequent refusal of the patient to pay the physician.
Dr. Rudolph--I was on that Committee a year or so ago and we had met with Mr. Holmburg and also with Mr. Frey of Grand Central, and Holmburg said that he would absolutely not favor joint payment checks.
Dr. Carreras--A year ago there was a strain between Holmburg and myself because of a conversation on the telephone. He got very huffy and would not do it and in the middle of his rage he said "You doctors agree to [ crossed out: change the fee and then the ] charge the fee the company stipulates and then we will give joint checks, but if you want to charge more we will do it this way." I suggest that the Society write to the Pacific Mutual Insurance Company and suggest that, because Grand Central did it, Darr Aero Tech will do it and others will do it.
Dr. Costin--I think it depends on the philosophy you have about insurance companies. Insurance is a contract between the company and the patient. I think that ought to be the choice of the patient. If the patient does not want to, it is his perfect right.
Dr. Carreras--We have a form that we fill out that carries, at the bottom, an assignment form, and every company will accept that but Hughes, but they specifically tell their employees not to sign it.
Dr. Bernstein--We have an Insurance and Industrial Relations Committee and perhaps it would be in order to refer this again to that committee.
Dr. Rudolph--I do not believe Pacific Mutual was written to about this.
Dr. Hileman--I move we refer this to the Insurance and Industrial Relations Committee an ask them to advise us further.
Motion seconded by Dr. Beaton.
Dr. Engle--Please include the information that this problem is a chronic one and we wish they would take it up again.
