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Daily |j> Trojan
University of Southern California
Volume LXVIII, No. 61	Los Angeles, Californio	Tuesday, January 6, 1976
Foreclosure proceedings begun against Campus Shops owner
Effects of doctor slowdown not yet felt in health center
By Alix Riley
city editor
The California doctors’ slowdown is nearing the end of its first week, but it’s still too early to tell how that slowdown will affect the Student Health Center, a spokesman said Monday.
Richard C. Thorsen, director of medical services at the health center, said there has been some speculation that more students will be using the center if they are unable to see their private physicians.
“The number of students coming in seems to be increasing all the time anyway, so we really don’t know,” he said. “We’d do what we could to accommodate it”
Thorsen said the doctors on
the health center staff are not directly affected by increased malpractice insurance costs since they pay no individual premiums.
University carries insurance “It’s sort of a moot question,” he said. “We re all employed by the university, and malpractice insurance is carried by the university.”
Alex Ratka, director of risk management, insurance and purchasing, said the health center is included in a comprehensive general liability policy carried by the university. The policy covers all areas and activities, including the university’s fleet of automobiles and all its campuses, he said. The malpractice extension also covers the School of Gerontol-
Expected crowds not seen at med center
By Sherie Stark
staff writer
Publicity in the news media may be the reason the County-USC Medical Center’s anticipated overcrowding did not materialize Monday, said Gail V. Anderson, professor and chairman ofthe Department of Emergency Medicine.
The concentration of patients was expected because of private physicians’ self-imposed slowdown protest ofthe raised malpractice rates effective Jan. 1.
“There were maybe a few more transfer patients than usual, but we were in no way stressed,” Anderson said. “Everyone expected the slowdown to have its effect today, but there’s really no way to predict a thing like this.
“If a heavy patient overload were to hold up here for a week or ten days, I’m sure the pressure would begin to build up,” Anderson said.
He said that the hospital has handled other periods of maximum workloads in the past, such as the Watts riots and the Sylmar earthquake, and, while they were stressful periods, the hospital could have continued to function for longer than they did.
“Right now, tentative plans are being made to mobilize the staff and increase the number of doctors,” he said. “The teaching facilities could forseeably have to be modified—if the doctors become so busy
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ogy, the School of Dentistry, and the Health Sciences Campus.
Ratka said there will be an insurance cost increase, but it will not take effect until the current policy expires on July 31.
No slowdown The health center staff never considered a work slowdown, even as a show of support for other doctors, Thorsen said.
“People talk of a slowdown and a protest as if there were some choice in the matter,” he said. “The people I know who are going out of practice are doing so because they have no choice. They just can’t afford the insurance.”
Thorsen said there was a possibility that more doctors would apply to work at the health center to avoid paying high insurance premiums.
“We anticipated more people coming to work here, but so far that hasn’t happened,” he said. “Maybe it’s just too soon.”
Six full-time doctors The center currently operates with a full-time staff of six doctors—all of whom function as general practitioners—and 10 consultants. These are specialists in such fields as gynecology, orthopedics and dermatology who put in time at the centerbesides maintaininga private practice.
Ratka said the health center has never been served with a malpractice claim.
“They (the doctors) have been good, and let’s face it, we’ve been lucky,” he said. “But it’s more than luck. They do have a good safety program.”
Thorsen said that the staff is very concerned with the malpractice issue. His duties include supervisingthe day-to-day medical operations and setting policy regarding medical practice.
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IS IT AN "M" OR A "W"?—Well, only the saw operator knows for sure. This craftsman operates a saw with dogged intensity as she glides the blade along a metal block letter in a fine arts class. DT photo by Paula Daniels.
By Peter Fletcher
staff writer
Foreclosure proceedings have been started by federal officials against the owner of the Campus Shops, located on Vermont Avenue across from the campus.
John McGarry, an attorney for the Small Business Administration, would not give the reasons for the proceedings against the owner, Jerry Bloom. McGarry said he did not want to compromise the attorneys who are prosecuting the case.
“We will file suit. We would like to get him (the owner) out so that the businesses in the center can be viable again,” McGarry said.
McGarry said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is instituting the proceedings against Bloom. The action has not yet been filed with the courts, he said.
The shopping center includes Sorbonne Market, Howell’s Bakery, Radio Shack, the Campus Coffee Shop, a laundromat and a medical clinic.
The Community Redevelopment Agency bought the land that the shops are now located on and sold * it to Bloom, said David Lewis, a project manager for the agency. Bloom put together the Campus Shops program with the aid of the agency and the Small Business Administration, Lewis said.
“Ayearortwo afterthe completion ofthe project
we noticed that the maintenance of the shops was bad. We tried to contact Bloom but he had apparently abandoned the project.” Lewis said.
“The property will be sold to someone who will take better care of it.”
He complained that no one was willing to spend money to maintain the shops. He said he hoped there would be new owners in the near future.
(Bloom could not be reached for comment.)
Lewis said the agency entered into a contract for the development of the property and issued a certificate of completion.
“The deed of the property has restrictions which required as a condition of the sale of the property that the owner maintain it. There are legal actions that can be taken if the conditions of the deed are not obeyed. The court can order Bloom to maintain the shops.”
Lewis said that his office has been working with the Small Business Administration in the action against Bloom.
“I hope most of the shops will stay in the center. The businesses have been suffering because people don’t Want to go into a rat trap.” Lewis said.
Walt Ming, the manager of the Campus Pharmacy which is located in the Campus Shops, said that he would like to see the shops upgraded and better maintained.
“Fora placethat'sonlyacoupleofyearsold itgot run down pretty fast,” he added.
BUY-CENTENNIAL MINUTE—Believe it or not, more money is being made in the name of the stars and stripes than that being vacuumed in by the university for tuition. But the gap may soon close! DT photo by Bob Selan.