PEDIATRICS Vol. 9 No. 1 January 1952, pp. 115-123
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Round Table Discussion

MANAGEMENT OF THE NEWBORN AND PREMATURE INFANT

STEWART H. CLIFFORD M.D., CHARLES ERNEST SNELLING M.D., A. S. LATHROP M.D., and JAMES R. BOULWARE JR. M.D.

I. Responsibilities of the Hospital

Chairman Clifford: The swing from the home to the hospital as the scene of childbirth is almost complete. In 1948 85% of all births in the United States took place in hospitals. In 13 states 98% of births were in hospitals. This rapid shift created a major problem for our hospitals as they were caught with an increased patient load without a commensurate increase in physical plant and personnel and without time to develop adequate technics of management. The trend toward a shortened period of hospitalization helped in permitting the institutions to care for a greater number of patients. The Standards and Recommendations for the Hospital Care of Full-term and Premature Infants of the American Academy of Pediatrics were of undoubted help to the hospitals in safeguarding the newborn.

A. Medical Service Responsibilities

I feel very strongly that for a Newborn Service to function so as to best protect the interests and welfare of its patients, it should be made the direct responsibility of a qualified pediatrician. Further, this individual must be so trusted by the trustees and the obstetric, nursing and administrative departments that he be given adequate authority to do the job. Practically every man attending this Round Table has signified that he works in or is in charge of a newborn nursery in his home area. In your hospitals is there a problem of trying to educate the hospital administration and medical administration as to the wisdom of appointing a pediatrician interested in the newborn infants to the job of being responsible for the service? Are you satisfied that in your various hospitals this problem is well taken care of?