Dr. Susan Moore was an African American physician who developed COVID-19 disease. In a recent YouTube video, she made a chilling and heartbreaking cry for help before she died documenting her mistreatment. Her last words were chilling. “I have to talk to somebody. Maybe the media.” Even after the treating physicians learned about her status of her also being a physician they continued to treat her poorly resulting in her death from untreated complications due to COVID-19.
As you know during these unprecedented times, COVID-19 has highlighted the medical disparities among the Black and Latino communities. Historically minorities have been faulted by the medical system that was not designed to include them. As a result on most health measures, Black men and women fare much worse than other races by 56% . This isn’t the first pandemic that the Black community will do poorly and it will not be the last. It is important the Black and Latino communities become empowered to take control of their health and be connected with a culturally competent healthcare provider. However, it is not solely up to the victims of health disparities to address health disparities alone. Providers must also do their part in rebuilding the trust among the Black and Latino communities through Diversity and Inclusion trainning and awareness that will aid them in identifying subconscious biases.
“When we think of healthcare we think of it as being a safe place where you can go to get better, not somewhere to get hurt or mistreated.” Jamie Wright indicated as she had a similar experience to Dr. Susan Moore.
So Why Do Things Like This Still Happen?!
Medical disparities are deeply rooted in the African community disrupting the relationship of trust among providers. For some it’s surprising to learn that in the past even the system of healthcare was legally segregated for minorities and poor communities. For example, poor medical ethics date as far back as slavery and persisted throughout time. These poor medical ethics created this ideology that the health conditions of Black people isn’t important, and their illnesses and death is their inevitable fate. The pattern that I see emerging today goes as far back to the oldest Antebellum ideas of blaming Black people for their own health conditions without regarding the systematic discrimination specifically designed for them. Throughout time we have seen continuous examples of poor medical ethics through:
- James Marion Sim who was dubbed the father of gynecology. James Sims illegally experimented on Black female slaves without their consent and without any anesthesia and/or post surgery treatment.
- The Tuskegee experiment was an illegal experiment from 1932-1972 (that’s 30 years!!) intentionally infecting hundreds of Black men with syphilis and allow them to die from it without any attempt to treat them with a simple penicillin injection.
- During the Jim Crow era in 1965 White female nurses were not allowed to serve Black people specifically Black men, with the intention of keeping Black men away from White women. Even during the time of critical illness or an emergency Black patients were left untreated and often died while waiting for care.
- In 2015, a study showed that when Black people visited the emergency room their conditions were often left un- treated, without any sense of urgency, and often died as a result.
These actions of unethical medical treatments were considered not only normal but legal.
Jim Crow laws like many other laws and policies were directly subverse to Black communities has restricted access to proper education, jobs, homes, and even healthcare. Through the implementation of these laws Black people were never in a position to prosper and create generational health and wealth. Many conditions are genetically embedded trauma and illnesses that are a direct result from being forced to live in certain conditions. These instances are passed down through generations creating a never ending cycle of harm caused to Black communities within healthcare settings. Therefore, the thought process and/or behavior of Black communities not wanting to go to the doctor, or not investing in their health stems from the fear and anxiety of feeling that they will be mistreated or in many cases left for dead.
In contrast, these ideologies of doctors and poor medical ethics have been passed down through the healthcare system and have shaped the way doctors deliver healthcare to people of color. These instances of poor medical ethics created an inherently biased institution to which many providers developed a subconscious biases towards marginalized groups. Part of this subconscious thought process is thinking that either the conditions of Black people are not true or critical or that their lifestyles caused self inflicted health events. As a result, they’re often left untreated without follow up, mistreated, and disrespected in healthcare settings.
And let’s face it if you have a bad experience at any doctor’s office you would not be inclined to go back. Unfortunately, Dr. Moore was not granted the opportunity to make that decision.
The lingering feeling that Black people have of knowing that they may not be treated properly at the doctor’s office has deterred them from seeking proper healthcare. The lack of trust Black and Latino communities have with healthcare providers impact the care that may receive.There is a long, sordid history in the medical world of holding Black people responsible for poor health outcomes. Despite the racial discrimination that they have encountered in doctor’s offices and hospital throughout the years, which still persist until this day. This can not continue.It is not the burden of Black and Latino communities to bear for the mistreatment and discrimination in healthcare settings.
So what is the solution ?
Health disparities present the opportunity to address some of the uncovered pain points by allowing OurHealth, LLC to:
- Connect patients with doctors who share the same cultural connection.
- Build culturally competent leaders for better health outcomes.
- Impact the healthcare experience of Black and Latino communities overall.
Research supports that connecting marginalized groups with doctors that share the same cultural values promotes better outcomes and overall better a patient experience. Therefore, OurHealth, LLC will leverage technology to promote highly qualified and culturally competent leaders that will provide empathic and qualified care to Black and Latino communities.
We aim to help healthcare providers identify and address implicit bias that could hinder patient-provider interactions. Along with improving the communication between providers and patients that contribute to poor health outcome for minorities. Dr. Moore’s story is truly a heartbreaking one. It is our mission to ensure that this instance does not happen again.
Follow the link https://ourhealthllc.wixsite.com/ourway to learn more about how you can do your part in a solution to a dier issue that our communities face. We aim to drive Diversity and Inclusion incentives as a core component of providing excellence in healthcare to all walks of life for better care and longer lives. Black Health Matters!
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Our condolences and Prayers are with the Moore family.
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