Annual report : 1946 / Woman's Hospital in the State of New York.

  • Woman's Hospital in the State of New York.
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1946 / Woman's Hospital in the State of New York. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/70 (page 4)
    WOMAN’S HOSPITAL AND THE COMMUNITY For ninety-one years the Woman’s Hospital in the State of New York has rendered notable service to women by extending their lives and restoring them to health and happiness. Since its founding, nearly 650,000 women have passed through the doors of this institution, the birthplace of modern gynecology. Since the present hospital building was occupied in 1906, there has been an increasing number of patients treated. During the 1935-46 period, the annual number of operations performed has increased from 1,571 to 2,382, and the annual number of babies born in¬ creased from 1,412 to 2,862. During this time, the ward service has maintained a large and even census, increasing from 3,062 patients in 1935 to 3,541 patients in 1946. The increase in semi¬ private and private patients during this twelve year span has been remarkable, showing a gradual increment from 1,941 private and semi-private patients in 1935 to 4,843 patients in these accommoda¬ tions in 1946; and this is not a complete picture, for rooms are booked for obstetrical and gynecological patients far in advance. Advance obstetrical bookings have consistently increased during recent years, reaching new highs during 1946, when they averaged 1,500. The demand for obstetrical accommodations is so great that a patient must make a definite reservation prior to six months of her expected date of delivery, if she wishes to be assured of a bed. This situation continues in spite of a reduction in hospital stay for most maternity patients from the customary ten days to eight days; a factor which has assisted the hospital in increasing the number of patients it can serve. The ward service of Woman’s Hospital has been an important part of its service to the community, being primarily for women who either require completely free care or who are able to pay only part of the cost of their hospital care. The policy of admitting pa¬ tients to the wards will continue unchanged in the future and it will be hospital practice to furnish the best care available to ward [4]