European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 5, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 Izmir Turkey Hospital is 700 Miles away  writer he four Story . Air Force building fit comfortably in its Izmir Turkey neighbor Hood of apartment buildings and  the outside the main difference is the apartment buildings have balconies and i docs not. A Houghl a turkish sign in front declares Vastane and ambulances arc parked in the driveway it is not a Hospital. It is an air Force clinic the main source of medical care for american airmen and soldiers in Western tur key. The Only . Military Hospital in the country is 700miles away at in Ciurlik a. The clinic serves about 2,200 people including soldiers stationed in Turkey and other members of the official american Community in the City of  clinic has three military doctors plus support per seems a different physician each time. The new hours still allow people to make appoint ments for after work he said. Most of the clinic staff seems Happy about their Workin the Pinta Are neighbourhood. This is a neat Small town America inside an italia Community it. Comdr. Robert Donofrio the paediatric nurse fraction or said before he left last week. People Here Are constantly telling us they appreciate us. We re in this together. We re going to survive  complaining about the cramped space evening work hours and problems with supplies. Or. A Comdr Michael Cole talked about How he likes work ing at Pinta Are. Its satisfying to work Here even with the problems Cole said. You get to know the people Here. They Don t have a Mother Here so they drop by and talk to the  atmosphere at the clinic is More relaxed than the Hospital partly because patients Don t have to negotiate Naples traffic to get there. The traffic Here is horrendous Cole said. A Tot of people would be so up tight their blood pressure would be High and they d be angry before they saw you. A sign or the clinic s Success has been requests from the Community to hold longer hours and provide More 86 Karen Pilalas likes taking 3-year-old Philip and 2 year of Jesse to clinic because most of the time Idon t have a car. It s just the hours. It would be Nice if there were later  sgt. Thomas Jones who had 5-year-old Jona than checked for an ear infection said he would like Mohave a More substantive clinic at the housing area but he was pleased with the care his son  is the first Lime i be come Here Jones said and i m Happy. He looks Happy to  but medical officials dont feel they can provide any More services without hurting Jospi Macare. The Hospital did not get any additional personnel or funding from the air Force to support the  conc depends heavily on red Cross volunteers. Who assist the doctor do paper work and Check the vital Soler said we would t be Able to run this  Fot Battle wounds you stick a Bandage  he  four Quality Assurance has to be More right on. You have to justify everything you do. A naw doctor from London visits the clinic every or to Mhos View the corpsman s medical records and follow up special cases. Petty officer third class said. So incl. Including Laboratory and a Ray technicians. An because of the distance to in Ciurlik or other . Medical facilities in Europe the clinic sometimes stretches beyond its Walls. Its ambulance will respond to a Bud traffic Accident four hours away taking a doctor along to Stab Liz the injured and bringing the victims Back to Izmir. Local doctors in the Rural Countryside do not have the capacity to handle such serious injuries. The turkish people would do the something. They take their people into Izmir said la. Col. William Powers clinic  in Izmir the serious cases either go to a Turk ish Hospital emergency room or Are flown to a .military Hospital. An army helicopter sometimes can help out in a emergency. But the medical evacuation system of the military Airlift come on a routine and emergency basis is the main link Between the clinic and other american medical  care major surgery or births cannot be handled at the clinic. Medical officials prefer to sen the patients to in Ciurlik or the major military medical centers in Germany the air Force Hospital at wies Baden or the army hospitals at lands Uhl and Frank  clinic built in 1955, originally was designed As a is to 20 bed turkish Hospital. The fourth floor contained the operating and recovery rooms. The staff renovated those rooms and is keeping them ready for a emergency. A Mobile surgical team could move in and Start operating out of the  s no separate Entrance for an emergency room so trauma cases must be brought through the front door and lobby. The dental clinic shares a building in the rear of thelot with a preschool and environmental health services. The clinic sees 1,400 to 1.500 patients a month. It has several Beds for emergencies or As a precaution for sick airmen who live alone. Gastrointestinal ailments common in the hot weather with poor refrigeration of food by restaurants can quickly debilitate a person. We have to be careful of our unaccompanied people that we Don t Send them Home to an empty apartment. Yon Don t even have a dorm environment Here Powers said. The clinic is visited during the year by specialist from Wiesbaden who review records consult on patients and teach the medical staff. An orthodontist and  nurse from hell Nikon a Greece also see  Only three doctors the clinic runs into problems when they leave on temporary duty Are sick or Chang assignments before their replacements arrive. For awhile last summer there was no permanent doctor Only physicians sent on temporary duty from other air Force hospitals in  officials prefer to keep american patients within the . Military medical system when possible but some patients Are referred to turkish doctors and some women have chosen to deliver their babies in air Force clinic Menda into Tho neighbourhood. Turkish  turkish consultant reviews a rays and performs tests the clinic docs not have the expertise or Equi Mentlo handle. While Many americans in the Community Praise the care they receive at the clinic a common complaint i there s not enough of it. They Don t want to travel to in Ciurlik or Germany for appointments that might take Only a half hour. Many women Don t want to leave their families to deliver their babies at in Ciurlik or Wiesbaden. They want a Pedi Atri Cian in Izmir to treat their  Call this an accompanied Lour but they Don t have the medical facilities. I like the Lour but the should update their medical facilities an airman s wife said. Powers and col. Jerry l. Kaffka com Mander of the 7241st air base group sympathize but said the Small size of the Community does t give much Hope it will gel a Hospital. Specialists would not have enough to do to maintain heir skills. Powers said. In the meantime he would like to get a physician assistant to help with primary care. A Slot once filled by a turkish doctor has not been filled for several  Don t think you d get any commander anywhere who is Happy with everything we think in always could be better Kaffka said. We d like to have a Hospital but Given the size of our Community thai in t going  Sis photo by pm Crandy staff Trahm a Patten through lobby to intr Emcy room during a trial