Los Banos Rotary Club History
Hospital Head Tells Of Need

W. J. Kramer, administrator of Valley Children's Hospital, Fresno, Tuesday noon gave members of the local Rotary Club an exacting summary of the work the Hospital is doing in serving the central San Joaquin Valley counties, and the dire need for additional funds to expand the facilities to handle the constantly growing demand.

The hospital currently has underway a subscription campaign intended to provide some $1,250,000 to enlarge and modernize the hospital so it will provide a total of 102 desperately needed beds for children, with the necessary supporting services. Jerry Hoyt and Max Rouff of this city are local co-chairmen of the subscription campaign.

Kramer said the hospital now has 42 beds, and because of the urgency extra beds are in the hallways most of the time. Now there is only one major surgery, one minor surgery and one emergency treatment room. The new plans will prove 102 beds, two major surgeries, an 8-bed recovery room, a seven-room isolation ward, and other badly needed facilities that will enable the hospital to handle the job it is being called upon to do.

As to local importance of Children's Hospital, Kramer pointed out that since its opening nine years ago 91 children from Los Banos have received surgery and specialized treatment there. There has been a total 343 patients from Merced county.

The hospital is operated on a non-profit basis for a staff of trained men and women for the treatment of children between one day and 14 years of age, without regard to race, creed or color. It is directed by a board of trustees representative of the people of the central valley, who serve without pay.
Almost entirely, he said, it is geared and set up to do specialized work, particularly in heart cases. Almost entirely all patients are referred to the hospital by family physicians throughout the valley, who feel that the need for specialized treatment or surgery is required. Any doctor, he said can refer patients to the hospital, and no patients can be admitted except on written order of a doctor.

As to patient costs, Kramer said the basic charge is $25 a day, and average total cost per day from $50 to $125. Juvenile care, especially in the younger years, is more expensive than for adults because of additional attention and care by the nursing staff, and the generally critical condition of the patient. As an example of this unusual care, Kramer pointed out the institution uses up 15,000 cans and jars of baby food a year for infant patients, and the little patients are drinking up to 2,500 half-pint cartons of milk a month.
Patients remain in the hospital fewer days than at any of the other 54 children's hospitals in this country, Kramer said, mostly because the need for beds is so urgent that the little patients are returned to the care of their home physician just as quickly as humanly possible. This urgency condition would be remedied greatly with institution of the new facilities that is expected to be provided as the result of the present fund raising campaign.

July 21, 1961

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