File No. 89960 UNITED STATES VETERANS’ BUREAU. September 9, 1921. _GENERAL ORDER NO. 28_ Subject: STANDARD OF REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPITALS. The following General Order is hereby promulgated, effective this date, for the guidance of all officers and employees of the United States Veterans’ Bureau: Minimum requirements have been adopted for all institutions furnishing medical care and treatment for patients of the United States Veterans’ Bureau, including hospitals under contract, as follows: _REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL HOSPITALS_ 1. The hospital should maintain a service whereby at least one resident physician is on duty at all times. 2. There should be an organized medical staff composed of men competent in their respective fields of medicine and actively meeting their responsibilities for the direction of the professional policies, for the medical work of the institution and also for the professional care of the patients in the hospital. 3. Provision for examination and treatment by dentists and specialists in eye, ear, nose and throat and genitourinary work. 4. Resident trained nurses—not less than 1 for each 10 or any part of 10 bed patients. 5. There should be facilities and personnel for the proper administration of dietetics. 6. There should be periodic staff meetings to discuss— 1. Errors of diagnosis. 2. Unsatisfactory results of operative or medical treatment. 3. Autopsy results. 7. Adequate supply of non-professional personnel for all needs of hospital. 8. Satisfactory fire protection for all classes of patients and perfect fire protection for bed-ridden patients. 9. Satisfactory sanitary conditions as regards heat, light, sewage and garbage disposal, toilets, baths, water supply, laundering, cooking, dishwashing, refrigerating, handling and serving of food, care of clothing and valuables, cleanliness of buildings, etc. 10. One hundred square foot of floor space for each bed and distance between beds of 3 feet. 11. All rooms and porches to be screened against flies and mosquitoes during the season. 12. Satisfactory record should be made of personal histories, physical examinations, all professional treatments, all clinical, serological, bacteriological or other Laboratory work done for patients, also all x-ray, fluoroscopic and other special examinations made, progress notes, working and final diagnoses, and these records should be kept in a form permitting ready reference.