) CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS- MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Special Meeting August 19, 1960 COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL The meeting was called to order with Mayor Miller presiding. Roll Call: Present: Absent: Councilmen Bechtol, Palmer, Perry, White, Mayor Miller None The Mayor announced that it was 3:00P.M. and time for the scheduled Special Meeting with the Brackenridge Hospital Board and consultants. John G. Steinle, head of the Garden City, Long Island, management firm that surveyed Brackenridge Hospital's shortcomings, submitted a report to the Council of his findings and offered various solutions to the problems. Recommendations made were to: 1. Set up a committee for planning and research of Austin's 2. health needs. Employ an administrative assistant for business affairs at the hospital. 3. Adopt the "flexible but not fiction" chart of organization which would reorganize both the medical and administrative systems. 4. Employ a director of medical education. 5. Set a new eligibility scale for both in-patients and out-patients. 6. Establish an Intensive Care Unit within the hospital. After some discussion, Councilman Bechtol moved the Council adopt the recommendations mentioned. The motion, seconded by Councilman Perry, carried by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Bechtol, Palmer, Perry, White, Mayor Miller Noes: None The implementation of the recommendations would exceed Brackenridge medical unit's expected 1960 budget by $100,000. However, City Manager W. T. Williams noted that the earnings from the 1961 fiscal year would reach approximately $40,000 and would partially offset the $60,000 deficit. 1 = CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. August 19, 1960 The Council then discussed the various responsibilities of the administrative assistant and the doctor in charge of medical education. The administrator would be in charge of business affairs and would be required to be proficient in both cost accounting and general office pratices. The director of medical education would be mainly responsible for supervising the interns. He would also have to manage to work within the budgeted sum alloted for medicines to be used by the new graduates of the state's medical schools. The next item the Council discussed was the proposed Intensive Care Unit which was expected to cost $45,000 a year to operate and would bring in a net income of $30,000. Brackenridge administrator Arthur Crandall noted that the deficit would result from charity patient treatments. The benefit of the Intensive Care Unit would be that it would enable the hospital to handle several critically ill patients in one room rather than having them scattered throughout the floors in private rooms. Concerning the matter of conducting a health survey, the Council considered two possibilities. One would put the project in charge of the Austin Community Council and the other would set up a separate committee to survey the city's medical needs. The survey would focus on care of indigents by both private and public hospitals, the immediate and future needs for hospital beds in Travis County, the role of Brackenridge in meeting the health needs of the city, and Austin's financial ability to meet the medical needs of all Austin hospitals. ADJOURNMENT Councilman Perry then moved the Council adjourn. The motion, seconded by Councilman Bechtol, carried by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Bechtol, Palmer, Perry, White, Mayor Miller Noes: None The Council adjourned at 6:00 Ρ.Μ. ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED: Mayor