pect that there would probably be no more than maybe 14 days in this jurisdiction for purposes of compliance.

So, you see, there is some importance attached to this planning that we are doing, and I think that this is certainly a place that this should be known.

I would like to reserve the right to check on the accuracy of the report, of course.

MEDICAL CARE AND HOSPITALS

Mr. NATCHER. Now, Dr. Grant, we want to take up with you Medical Care and Hospitals where you are requesting $23,282,388 and 2,794 positions.

Here you have an increase of $1,971,527, and 137 additional positions.

We shall insert pages 22-81 through 22-85. (The pages follow:)

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Mr. NATCHER. First, under District of Columbia General Hospital, $1,263,314 requested, and 125 additional positions.

Dr. Grant, how many of the 125 are essential at this time, half of them?

Dr. GRANT. Mr. Chairman, in the opinion of the staff at District of Columbia General Hospital, they need 500 positions. I would say all of them are needed.

Mr. NATCHER. Tell us why we have to have this increase.

Dr. GRANT. There are several areas of the hospital, Mr. Chairman, that need considerable improved services. Let me take some of these in turn.

LABORATORY SERVICES

The first of these is the laboratory. The extent of laboratory service required at District of Columbia General Hospital is really tremendous and there has been a backlog in services to patients because the laboratory studies are not being done and not being done in time to enable the physicians to properly evaluate and make their diagnosis and carry forward treatment of patients.

One of the areas we would hope to improve this year is the laboratory.

RADIOLOGY

A second area that is very similar to this is in radiology. This is another area where the services at District of Columbia General Hospital fall short of what is necessary and X-rays are not being developed and read in time for the physicians to evaluate properly the patients' conditions. Radiology then is the second most serious problem in the hospital.

ADDITIONAL ANESTHESISTS

A third problem involves anesthesiology. We do not have enough anesthesists at the present time to provide for the number of operations now being carried out at the hospital and some of these operations require a waiting period for the patient before they can be seen.

Further than that, there are two additional operating theaters incorporated in the construction program. These operating theaters are almost ready to be used. They will remain vacant, Mr. Chairman, at the present time, because of the fact that we do not have enough anesthesiologists to carry out the program.

STAFF FOR EMERGENCY ROOM

A fourth area of the hospital that requires substantial change is the emergency room, to which we have already alluded in connection with the rape problem. The emergency room is a facility where there has been traditionally for many years a long waiting period before patients can be seen, sometimes as long as 6 to 8 hours. Primarily, it was partially because of the facilities that were existing prior to the time we moved into the construction program, but, secondly, it was due to the fact that we do not have enough staff in the emergency room to provide patients with care.