Posted on 11/15/2008 7:56:41 PM PST by neverdem
Doctor and Patient
Last Tuesday, like most of the country, I stayed up too late watching the election results come in and then became emotional when it was clear that Barack Obama, an African-American, was going to be our next president. Wednesday morning’s New York Times captured the most salient part of the moment for me in its headlines: “Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory.”
But a few days later, as I thought more about racial barriers, I started to question my election euphoria. In politics, the racial barriers might have fallen, I thought, but what about in health care?
There is no question that racial barriers still exist in many parts of this society. The first time I remember having a frank conversation about racial barriers in medicine was during my residency.
Of all the surgical residents I trained with, “Eric” was easily one of the smartest. He possessed a great bedside manner, brilliant clinical skills and plenty of that Obama cool. Eric was African-American, and one night, when we were both on call together, he told me something I have never forgotten.
“You know, Pauline,” he said, “there are a lot of times when I go to a patient’s room for the first time and they ask me, 'Are you transport? Are you here to wheel me to radiology?’” I can remember Eric shaking his head as he spoke. “They never assume I’m one of the doctors.”
Most of the research over the last 30 years has focused on the racial inequalities that affect patients; and the findings have been dismal. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine published a report that cited multiple examples of disparities across a wide range of health care and disease settings. African-Americans, for instance, were more likely to undergo less desirable procedures like...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Race race race race race
race
race
race race race
Had a gut full.
Don’t care.
I had heard that his father’s birth certificate listed his father as Arab.
Obama America’s first Red president.
“We can all acknowledge that racism still exists.”
Yes, the NAACP, LaRaza, The Black Caucus, The Hispanic Caucus et al. In perpetuity.
Well, the American part is still up for grabs.
Big whoop. As long as we’re all being “frank”, well, frankly, right now I bear animosity towards minorities in general because of the entitlement mentality over patriotism or even principle that has got this country where it is.They don’t care about the general welfare, they care about their own welfare. If I’m a racist no matter what, then I’m going to hop on that bandwagon that blacks and others have been on, of looking out for my own first.
I must not have the Obama "cool"...
Oh my Gawd, when will the bullsh#t end? It's the same with "disparity" of care. Instead of "race" why not use drug use, alcohol intake, premarital sex, unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, smoking, parental supervision and or presence of two parents in a household... then see how the care breaks down.
I'll tell you if they added a 400.00 per month bill to the cable/cell phone bill all the "uninsured" patients would have insurance. It's a choice between flat screen televisions, cell phones, pay per view, cable television and buying health insurance.
The libs love "creating a crisis" in order to "fix" it. The health care industry is limping along with government mandates and the pilot fish living off the industry keep playing along.
I'm really sure that Fat Teddy really "needed" to be taken by helicopter to Mass General for a seizure. Cause doncha know that you'd get the same care? Especially all the sheep-citizens in Assachusettes that keeps voting these inbreds into office.
I am reminded of one time many years ago when I was working in a hotel which was hosting the National Association of Corrections Personnel. I was riding in the elevator with a well-dressed young black man. Being in college and interested in the learning about professions such as this field, I asked him if he was with the convention. He immediately got angry at me and said “I am a brain surgeon!” as if somehow I should have known his prestigious occupation.
These were the days when the ethics of frontal lobotomies for criminals was in debate, and the presence of a ‘brain surgeon’ at the convention made me immediately think about forced brain scrambling using surgical instruments. He may have seen the dismay or confusion on my face because he then sheepishly said his wife was with the convention.
I have never forgotten that moment, when my innocent question prompted by potential career interest provoked a racial response.
Scientists angry after feds ax forest study (Free Air CO2 Enrichment released CO2 near trees)
What Has Driven Women Out of Computer Science?
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Oh dearie me!
I remember, so many moons ago, when I was giving birth to my fourth, and only about 28 years old. But, please know that way back then, I was considered “old” to be giving birth.
Well, there is was, doing my labor thing, when in comes this total “kid” to check my progress. I was totally dumbstruck! He didn’t look older than 16!
My first thought was to push the call button and ask for the nurse to send in a grown-up, then I saw his ID. He was, in fact, a senior resident, a doctor!
It is so hard to let a mere child peek at one’s most private spots. Did I have “age-bias”? You bet!!!!!
“Eric” needs to get over it - female docs who properly identify themselves to their patients day after day will inevitably be asked to empty a urinal or fetch a pillow the next day...somehow they survive.
Ben Carson Went to Yale and John Hopkins. Howard University Medical School here in DC has the highest rate of malpractice claims against graduates in the US. Don’t check the skin. Check the sheepskin.
Ironic how the very people who would make the strongest stand for affirmative action look down their nose at the rest of us for noticing that it’s policy.
I wouldn’t go to a black or hispanic doctor for a life threatening procedure unless recommended by someone I know who’d been a patient. How do you know if the guy would have made it out of school had affirmative action not been in play?
The only segment more discriminated against than white males are Asians, so you know when you see an Asian doctor, that he made it on his own merit.
So if the racism and unfairness of affirmative action isn’t enough reason to avoid patronizing its recipients, maybe the chance of death is. You want patients to look at black and other minority doctors in a color blind fashion, perhaps you should set the example, New York Times.
Our local AM/PM clinic in small town Oklahoma had a black doctor for many years. He was competent, had an engaging personality, and was very popular. I have a hard time believing this story.
Well being mistaken for a transport is better than some of the outright things that have been said to me. However, I’ve taken it with a grain of salt because you really have to acknowledge things like age, culture and exposure to different things. There are more important things to worry about.
You should have replied, "I'm sorry. Did you lose yours?"
Jeez. It's not the affirmative action in admissions you need to worry about. The process weeds out the truly incompetent (as opposed to the moderately incompetent who come in all races, including Asians, my FRiend.) by having national and state boards. Those who shouldn't have been allowed in law school, won't pass the bar. Those who shouldn't have gone to nursing or med school, won't pass the boards.
I'm so sick of FReepers who paint minorities with such a broad brush and assume that everyone of them with a professional position is an incompetent product of affirmative action. Minorities DO get into professional programs with good grades and coming from good undergraduate programs, you know. There are black FReeper nurses, lawyers, computer professionals, engineers, and assorted other professions represented on this board. Are they all incompetent or will you give them a pass because they're conservatives?
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