Hospital racism likely widespread
Lewis DiuguidSeveral lawsuits are exposing racism in hospitals in which white patients ask that no black health care professional attend to them.
The Associated Press reports that the “open secret” has been exposed in lawsuits — one involving a white man with a swastika tattoo insisting that no black nurses touch his newborn. The American Medical Association’s ethics code prevents doctors from refusing to treat people based on race, gender or other criteria, however, no policies exist for handling patients’ race-based requests, and they go on all the time.
Several cases have been reported over the years in the Kansas City area. It amounts to officials maintaining separate systems of health care no different from yesteryear hospitals just for white patients and others for patients of color.
It was wrong then just as this new form of segregation is wrong now, particularly during Black History Month. Let’s hope the courts end it, and the best health care is provided to people regardless of color.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 3 weeks agogood work lewis.. . you uncovered your daily requirement of racial injustice…
How about some action on the discriminatory racial set-asides and affirmative action programs?
Matt Henry
2 months, 3 weeks agoWhat are we guessing is the percentage of medical procedures that are somehow sullied by a racist request? 1/10,000? 20,000? 50,000? Does LWD have even the slightest clue as to this figure before he portrays it as ‘widespread’? Is it that LWD wants it to be seen as widespread so that he can continue to work his magic separating our hearts and minds by our skin color?
The cases that LWD describes is one in which a stooge of a person chooses not to take full advantage of a path available to him. Is this not, oh I don’t know, a little different than the days that members of particular races or skin colors couldn’t get treatment in specific locations whether they wanted it or not? In other words, are self-imposed limitations due to racism even a smidge different than limitations placed on someone without their consent? Is CHOOSING not to have a black doctor different than NOT BEING ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE? Duhhh…. And yet this is no different than “yesteryear’s hospitals”? You know… when black people weren’t even allowed in the front door? Seriously?
Do none of these requests exist in the opposite direction? Are you telling me that the black panther who was caught on film talking about killing “cracker babies” and “hating crackers” wants that cracker doctor handling his infant? He’s gonna be all hunkie-dorie with a white doctor handling panther junior? Should his white doctor tell him to shove it? I hope not, or someday they might accidentally meet outside a Philly polling place. You know, there are racists of all kinds all over the place.
As much as you want the world to still be stuck in Jim Crow, it’s really not. But keep pushing, Lewis. With any luck we will all continue to hate each other.
William R. Nelson
2 months, 3 weeks agoIn 1940, a Negro surgeon named Charles R. Drew pioneered techniques for preserving blood plasma that saved countless lives during World War II. Those techniques are the basis for modern blood banks.
I guess if those knuckle dragging morons are serious about their racism, they must refuse any blood transfusions, and risk possible death. It’s a matter of principle. Right, fellas?
That being said, hospital administration is one tough job what with medical personnel, supplies, vendors, house keeping, insurance, building maintenance, ever spiraling costs, and horrific human suffering. The last thing needed in this complex mix is the lunacy of knuckle dragging morons.
In this case, the courts can do the right thing, and give these morons the option of signing a release to refuse the care offered, then kick ‘em out to rot on the sidewalk.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 3 weeks agoSeems like the CONSUMER should have a say how she,he wants to spend her,his money, but I am not a smart lib….
Lewis predictably offers no stats obn how this occurs ALL THE TIME, but nothing Lewis writes about race surprises…. It is his thing……