07/06/1977
OC686
MINUTES OF BOARD OF HEALTH - July 6, 1977
-
Present: Dr. Frank Reynolds, Chairman, Dr. James Furr, Dr. Murray Seidel,
Mrs. Roma Lee Hall, Mr. George Chadwick, Mr. J. R. Reaves,
Mr. Deother Melvin, Mr. Dan Eller, County Manager and Mr. James
Fox, County Attorney
. .
Absent:
Mrs. Vivian Wright, Mr. R. E. Carter
Minutes of the June meeting were approved as presented.
-
Pre-Natal Clinic: Plans had been made to begin a pre-natal clinic in the
Health Department for women who were not receiving care. This group of
women are the ones who cannot afford medical care and are not eligible for
Medicaid or Welfare. Dr. Fletcher Rieman, Director, University Service,
Obstetrics and Gynecology, had supported the idea and plans had been made
with Dr. Ramesh Shah to begin the Clinics on July 11. On June 22, 1977, a
letter was received from Dr. Rieman stating that "Recent conversations with
hospital administrators, nursing personnel and attending physicians in the
Department of Ob/Gyn have brought out anxiety and criticism of the proposal
to institute a new service of providing antenatal care in the Health Depart-
ment for indigent women who reside in New Hanover County. It would cause
us to lose some of your nursing support in our Out-patient Department at
the New Hanover Memorial Hospital which we have become quite dependent upon
on Mondays and Wednesdays when the obstetrical patients are seen. These
public health nurses have provided us with many hours of very loyal and
worthwhile support in counseling our patients, and we are quite appreciative
of their contributions. The true benefits of a duplication of providing
obstetrical service by two institutions, so closely located physically,
appear to be quite vague and perhaps unwarrented. I would not like to see
our house officers in the Ob/Gyn Residency Training Program suffer from a
drop in the number of patients in the Out-patient Department." He also
stated that "My present comments are initiated by an uneasy feeling that it
might be wise to reconsider this proposal before it is too late". Dr. Rieman
stated that no one is turned away from prenatal service at the hospital but
that efforts are made to collect from the patient. By common consent the
Board of Health agreed that the pre-natal clinic would remain with the
hospital until such time as the hospital feels the need of another clinic.
Sewage Disposal System: Mr. Jim Fox told the board that he and Mr. Frank
Olive, Sanitation Supervisor, are reviewing our present ordinance to see if
any amendments need to be made to bring it in line with the new ordinance
recently put into effect by the Division of Health Services.
Sickle Cell Syndrome Program: Mrs. Almeta Wood, Consultant, from the Regional
Office of the Division of Health Services was present to discuss the Sickle
Cell Program. She asked that we enlarge our services in New Hanover County,
suggesting that we add a full time counselor/educator. Dr. Finger was asked
by Dr. Reynolds to find out what is available in the area of financial support
for this program and report at the next meeting of the board.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.
~ .
Approved: August 3, 1977
Respectfully Submitted,
l'/t CG0-~ ;(:. r7~~
-.......