Hospital Talk Progress Reported

U-M resident physicians resumed picketing at üniversity Hospital this morning despite reports of progress by bargainers for the doctor's union and the University in a night-long session. Bargaining on a new contract for the U-M House Officers Association to replace one which expired in August began at 8 p.m. Wednesday and continued until " 4 a.m. today. It is scheduled to resume at 8 p.m. today. Douglas H. Geister, manager of union relations and personnel at the U-M Medical Center, said today that "considerable progress was made" at last night's session, and "we are now hopeful of reaching a settlement." Dr. Eric C. Hodeen, president of the physician's union, said "we made limited progress on the issue of patiënt care," which he described as still the most important issue in the eyes of the doctors. Only three resident physicians picketed in front of the entrance to tne University Hospital at 8 a.m. today, compared to eight at that hour Wednesday, while another passed out inforiéaííonal literature on the issues involved. There was still no effort to keep anyone from entering or leaving the hospital, and the pickets said they were only picketing while off duty. However, they pointed out that house physicians on duty were continuing today with a "billing job action." The physicians have been marking "no charge" or reducing the charge on patiënt bilis, but according to hospital clinical workers that "job action" is only resulting in a billing slowdown and increased work for clerical employés. When the bilis are turned in to the clinic office by the house physicians, they are taken to the department head who corrects them to list the usual charge for services, hospital spokesmen said. Not all resident doctors are participating in the billing job action, according to a hospital spokesman. The U-M House Officers Association represents 585 physicians who are interning after receiving medical degrees, taking residencies in medical specialties following community practice or internship, or are postdoctoral fellows. Some 400 faculty physicians are also involved in patiënt care at the U-M Medical Center. U-M resident physicians perform a large part of patiënt care at University Hospital, Ann Arbor Veterans Hospital and Wayne County General Hospital, and also serve at 14 other Michigan hospitals, including St. Joseph Mercy Hospital here. While the doctor's unión has threatened job action at the local Veterans Hospital there were no pickets at that hospital either Wednesday or today. Árnold "Mouish, Ann Arbor Veterans Hispital director, said today that "no job action of any kind has taken place at our hospital." Dr. S. M, Lindenauer, chief of that hospital's medical staff, said "we are taking steps" to rectify the problem of using resident physicians as pharmacists on weekends which has been one of the chief complaints by the doctor's union at that hospital. Both Mouish and Lindenauer expressed the belief that Veterans Hospital has "good relations" with the 50 some U-M resident physicians who rotate at that hospital and said they are doing all in their power to make improvements suggested by the house physicians. Dr. Lindenauer said, that resident physicians are invited to take part. in meetings of the hospitai's executive board. Mousih said the resident physician's realize that patients at his hospital are not paying patients as at University Hospital.