European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 21, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday january 21, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 no doctor no clinic by Judy Saf Lasohn medical writer r. Col James m. Henry took com Mand of the army Hospital at Weer. Burg in 1984 after some particularly stinging press reports on military medi Cine. His major concern was the practice in clinics of relying on medics in emergency rooms after hours. So he asked 7th medical come officials to let him shut the clinics under Wuerzburg supervision after in doctors went Home. We simply could nol let enlisted medics Lake care of patients after duly hours while the army was concerned with risk management and Quality Assurance Henry said. While the 7th medical card proposal to restrict hours of inadequately staffed clinics was being devel oped Henry got permission to set up a Pilot program. On  closed the Kitzinger clinic at 4 . The clinics at bid Kissinger and Wertheim followed suit. The clinics at Schweinfurt and wild Freeken were Kepi open 24 hours a Day beefed up with medical personnel assigned to line units and with help aft Rhou is from doctors of i he Day t i me clinic. Although Henry got support from lop Community officials Selling the changes was difficult people Felt they were losing tried Lea care. The isolation psychological cultural and physical is tremendous. There were times i thought we were going to fall Henry said. I was told in one Community that if you Lake three Steps to the left you fall off Ilic  we Friburg and Kitzinger clinic officials talked with unit leaders went to town Hall meetings and discussed the changes with family members at n non com Alanl evacuation order exercise. Or. Capt Paul Shillaker Kil Zingen clinic com Mander tried to explain to people there was Only band Aid capability at the clinic after hours while there was an excellent full service German emergency room in the Hospital across the Street from tie military housing area. And now that the medics Don t have to pull night duty he said there is enough staff to handle immunizations and physical therapy a i the clinic. Before aug. I two medic screened patients after hours. They talked to doctors at the  Hospital to determine if the patient should go there or return inc next Day. This How the system at Kil Zingen works now the clinic doors close at 4 . After hours on weekends or on holidays u Soldier or family member with a serious injury or illness Maygo to the local German Hospital or the a Wurzburg Hospital. If private transportation is not available inc person May Call a German ambulance which will be paid for by the army. At the German Hospital the person rings the Nacho Glocke night Bell at the front door and says to the receptionist  the receptionist leads the patient to the treatment area and notifies the doctor who Speaks English. The patient will be required to show his official Idelli Fiu Ilion card and fill out a form with Basic personnel information and complaint. No payment is required immediately. Theodore Thomas inc clinic administrator and patient representative collects inc forms each morning and receives the Bills in several Days. He contacts the patient s or sponsor s commander to have the patient come into the clinic. While soldiers Bills Are sent to the Wuerzburg Hospital for payment by open allotment family Mem Bers must go through the champs civilian health and medical program of the uniformed serv ices procedure. Whitaker said people should not go to inc German Hospital Al Nihl Wuh routine colds and illnesses that Are not emergencies. We re not trying to flood the German Hospital with our routine cases he said. Since aug. 1, 120 k jul Ngun residents have gone to the German Hospital when the clinic was closed. Many people wrote on their records that they were pleased with the care they received and there were no language problems. However not All residents arc convinced the new sys tem is better. I expected facilities to be available. This in t a re mole site. It s the first time i be seen a dispensary closed after duty hours said staff sol Allen Schenbaum he co 1st Riga do. 15lh inf. When he serious allergies net up or his to month old son has a High fever he goes to the Hospital at Wuerz Burg. The thought never occurred to me that you can use the German Hospital. I have no idea How to use in where it s at. I Don t know if the language Barrier exists he said. Mixed reaction to new hours ill mum by diet bpm. 4 a a Flamey Amin Jennifer Lowman while or Moth a Barbara Kex on. By Dan Wolla Stuttgart by Iran or. Maj Brian Johnson saw the writing Onishe  of limiting army dispensary hours had been floating around for along time and Johnson knew Why. He d been through Summers before like the one he was facing in 1985 Summers of too Many patients and not enough doctors. As physicians we were feeling very overworked and underpaid the commander of the Karlsruhe dispensary said Johnson s clinic was open around the clock seven Days a week earing for More than 11,000 people with a staff of Only six doctors. Before the army could come out with recommend doctor praises German or care o by judys aha 9ohnmdlcl writer re Community that May see some cuts in he operating hours of Fli medical clinic Isi Darmstadt about a half hour drive from he army Hospital it Frankfurt. Such a change would make the clinic commander. Or. A  m