This report is the first section of the report presented by the author following his tour of hospitals in the United States and Canada from 16 September to 17 November 1947. The purpose of the tour was to establish personal contact with the leading hospital authorities, central funds and other organisations actively interested in hospital and health service, and to obtain first hand information on a number of subjects, more particularly: the functions and organisation of central funds; the development of hospital and health services; the planning of hospitals and methods of construction; hospital equipment and supplies; university training courses for hospital officers; medical records and the training of medical record librarians; and the methods of organising and conducting hospital information bureaux and advisory services.