General
Have you had to manage the socioeconomic disparity in medicine?
How have you managed through, if you have experienced this, the socioeconomic disparity in medicine and treatments? We were very blessed that 90% of my partner's treatment took place at an utterly amazing and well-funded hospital, but when he spent time at a county hospital, I saw a gross disparity between the treatment of patients from a possibly lower socioeconomic bracket and those who were obviously from a higher socioeconomic bracket. There was an initial assumption of our status when he was admitted, thus his treatment was unbelievable poor. I had to fight quite assertively to get him proper treatment and pain management. I had to convince the nursing staff and doctors that I would not accept being marginalized. It was an incredibly eye opening and distressing experience I did not believe existed until I had this experience. I do feel blessed I have the background and experience, in business, to know how to escalate and "motivate" individuals who are not doing their jobs.
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As a Black woman, it's always been a struggle to speak out and make my voice heard even with health. It's a constant battle even when my health is affected to ensure that my voice and concern for my health are not being ignored. Advocacy is a constant reminder that there's room for making this better, ensuring that people who seek care are "all" given the same ear and eye, and checking with a diagnosis. May I add I have no qualms about calling and reporting someone who is not doing what they are supposed to do. I learned this firsthand when my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and the oncologist was a ...
just say a nightmare. It was me seeing for myself what she had to endure, and the letter that followed to the proper source. I say all that to say being vocal is and may always be an uphill battle... However, it is our right to make it known and remind folks of how this is supposed to work in healthcare.
Yes! I had to learn in the heat of the extreme moments that people of color are still, in the 21st century, being hit hard by institutionalized racism particularly in hospitals! Had to escalate to the hospital administrator, write a letter to the local medical board with a formal complaint about a doctor, and write a few letters to the nursing administrator about their staff. I had to do this while under extreme emotional duress. In hindsight I am glad I was forced to find my voice. Thank you for this powerful share, wisdom, and insight YSarrabo! You are simply a wonderful miracle! :-)
This needs to be a webinar!!! Don't you think?
AnneMarieSDBC,
I would absolutely think this would merit a webinar! :-)