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Progressive patient care. An Anthology
Book Reviews
562
these reports with periods of free discussion. The proceedings of this conference, as edited by GORDON WOLSTENHOLME, the Director of the Ciba Foundation, form the basis of this volume. The book can be highly recommended to all who would enjoy reading and reflecting on the problems confronting man as he begins to examine himself in preparation for the future. All the articles are well written and many are quite provocative and stimulating. The discussions are lively, uninhibited and make an important contribution to the volume. However, don’t pick up this book to finish during a quiet evening; it is not something which can be read or taken lightly. SOL SHERRY.
PROGRESSIVE
PATIENT
GRIFFITH. The Price $5.00.
CARE.
University
An Anthology.
of Michigan,
Ann
Edited by LEWIS E. WEEKS and JOHN R. Arbor, 1964. 385 pp. Not indexed.
THIS book is long overdue. As a result of this complete view of progressive patient care (PPC), hospitals which have resisted change in established procedures will be given the courage to develop creative programs within, as well as outside, their walls. Hospital administrators and full-time physicians not experienced in programs dealing with progressive patient care can use this anthology as a guide to almost each step in the development of such programs. The problems of the programs as well as their assets are spelled out. There are 38 chapters and an excellent bibliography. Each chapter is written by a distinguished contributor to PPC and the subjects covered include: intensive care, self care, intermediate, long-term, and home care. Costs of the programs are discussed in many chapters and this is the one area in the book that the novice should be wary of. The type of patient which a given hospital ordinarily admits can change costs dramatically. Severely disabled neglected chronically ill patients with profoundly deteriorated socio-economic backgrounds are going to be vastly more expensive to care for than patients more fortunate in these spheres of concern. Another section in this book to evaluate carefully is the concept of devoting a separate location in the hospital for the chronically ill aged. This area can easily develop a ‘death house’ reputation which all professions naturally avoid. This occurs when admission of the acutely ill aged to the separate location is permitted; frequently one cannot judge when an aged person is acutely ill until he has had a few days on an acute ward. Admission to acute wards should be mandatory for those cases not thoroughly worked up. If this is not done, PPC can fail. A third word of caution which needs spelling out, because the book does not emphasize it enough, is the need for the placing of responsibility for these programs into the hands of one well trained, articulate physician who has the ability to seal relationships with incompatible people, groups and agencies. In summary then, if costs and admission policies and delegation of responsibility are looked at with a sophisticated eye, PPC can be better care at less cost and this anthology serves as an excellent blueprint for beginners. MASON FAULCONERLORD
562
these reports with periods of free discussion. The proceedings of this conference, as edited by GORDON WOLSTENHOLME, the Director of the Ciba Foundation, form the basis of this volume. The book can be highly recommended to all who would enjoy reading and reflecting on the problems confronting man as he begins to examine himself in preparation for the future. All the articles are well written and many are quite provocative and stimulating. The discussions are lively, uninhibited and make an important contribution to the volume. However, don’t pick up this book to finish during a quiet evening; it is not something which can be read or taken lightly. SOL SHERRY.
PROGRESSIVE
PATIENT
GRIFFITH. The Price $5.00.
CARE.
University
An Anthology.
of Michigan,
Ann
Edited by LEWIS E. WEEKS and JOHN R. Arbor, 1964. 385 pp. Not indexed.
THIS book is long overdue. As a result of this complete view of progressive patient care (PPC), hospitals which have resisted change in established procedures will be given the courage to develop creative programs within, as well as outside, their walls. Hospital administrators and full-time physicians not experienced in programs dealing with progressive patient care can use this anthology as a guide to almost each step in the development of such programs. The problems of the programs as well as their assets are spelled out. There are 38 chapters and an excellent bibliography. Each chapter is written by a distinguished contributor to PPC and the subjects covered include: intensive care, self care, intermediate, long-term, and home care. Costs of the programs are discussed in many chapters and this is the one area in the book that the novice should be wary of. The type of patient which a given hospital ordinarily admits can change costs dramatically. Severely disabled neglected chronically ill patients with profoundly deteriorated socio-economic backgrounds are going to be vastly more expensive to care for than patients more fortunate in these spheres of concern. Another section in this book to evaluate carefully is the concept of devoting a separate location in the hospital for the chronically ill aged. This area can easily develop a ‘death house’ reputation which all professions naturally avoid. This occurs when admission of the acutely ill aged to the separate location is permitted; frequently one cannot judge when an aged person is acutely ill until he has had a few days on an acute ward. Admission to acute wards should be mandatory for those cases not thoroughly worked up. If this is not done, PPC can fail. A third word of caution which needs spelling out, because the book does not emphasize it enough, is the need for the placing of responsibility for these programs into the hands of one well trained, articulate physician who has the ability to seal relationships with incompatible people, groups and agencies. In summary then, if costs and admission policies and delegation of responsibility are looked at with a sophisticated eye, PPC can be better care at less cost and this anthology serves as an excellent blueprint for beginners. MASON FAULCONERLORD