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run tests on samples of body fluids (blood, urine, etc.) in order 

 to supply information to private and staff physicians who care 

 for the patients. The space requirements and work loads of each 

 institutional lab vary with the populations of their institutions, 

 as can be seen on Table 1. 



The Boulder Hospital lab is somewhat unique in that the morbidity 

 and mortality rate of retarded persons sufficiently ill to be 

 hospitalized is significantly higher than that of the general 

 population. For example, epileptic patients who are ill in the 

 general population have three or four times the mortality rate of 

 the general population. Those who are institutionalized with 

 mental retardation, however, have seventeen times the mortality 

 rate. Because of the higher risk of complications from disease, 

 the tests run at the Boulder clinical lab generally require more 

 immediate attention than similar tests at the Warm Springs and 

 Galen institutions. 



The Warm Springs State Hospital and the Galen State Hospital are 

 located in southwestern Montana about five miles apart. The Warm 

 Springs State Hospital, created in 1913, is charged with the re- 

 sponsibility to provide care and treatment to the mentally ill 

 residents of Montana. The hospital also operates a specialized 

 unit dedicated to alcoholism rehabilitation service. Galen State 

 Hospital, created in 1911, is provided for in Sections 80-1701 

 through 80-1704, R.C.M. 1947. This institution is primarily respon- 

 sible for the treatment of tuberculosis and silicosis; however, the 

 hospital also treats patients with other chronic respiratory 

 diseases as space and funds permit. 



It was the Council's opinion that all institutional laboratories 

 were inadequately staffed and equipped. This opinion is also 

 held by physicians and other professional consultants serving 

 these institutions. Dr. Newman, consulting pathologist for the 

 Warm Springs Hospital, has stated that the Warm Springs clinical 

 lab is "woefully deficient in modern clinical equipment needed to 

 deliver health care to the patients at Warm Springs." 



As noted previously, the Warm Springs and Galen institutions are 

 located within five miles of each other, along Interstate Highway 

 90. With this proximity, it is possible that some routine labora- 

 tory testing functions of the two labs could be consolidated. 

 Furthermore, a consolidated arrangement could facilitate joint 

 programs such as personnel and equipment sharing. If physical con- 

 solidation is deemed unfeasible, then methods of combining hiring 

 and equipment purchases between the two labs should be actively 

 pursued. 



The Legislative Counail reaommends that the Department 

 of Institutions investigate means of consolidating 

 alinioal laboratory functions between the Galen and 

 Warm Springs Hospitals and submit their findings to 

 the 43rd Montana Legislative Assembly . 



