1/What bothers me the most about medical providers today is not that they aren't intelligent. They most certainly are.
It's that they lack a sense of urgency with patients even when the facts are RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. Here are some examples:
It's that they lack a sense of urgency with patients even when the facts are RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. Here are some examples:
2/
An 87 year old man with high blood pressure and heart disease has leg pain and non-healing leg ulcers.
Tests show 2 of 3 leg arteries are 100% blocked. The pain is so bad he sleeps sitting up.
He is told to follow up as an outpatient to get ultrasound and cardiac clearance.
An 87 year old man with high blood pressure and heart disease has leg pain and non-healing leg ulcers.
Tests show 2 of 3 leg arteries are 100% blocked. The pain is so bad he sleeps sitting up.
He is told to follow up as an outpatient to get ultrasound and cardiac clearance.
3/
A 28 year old man with HIV has a new diagnosis of syphilis, headaches, and blurry vision.
STI guidelines state a new syphilis diagnosis with neurologic/visual symptoms should get spinal tap/eye exam.
He is told he doesn't need that, gets 1 shot penicillin and sent home.
A 28 year old man with HIV has a new diagnosis of syphilis, headaches, and blurry vision.
STI guidelines state a new syphilis diagnosis with neurologic/visual symptoms should get spinal tap/eye exam.
He is told he doesn't need that, gets 1 shot penicillin and sent home.
4/
A 35 year old man with a history of HIV and anal warts has rectal bleeding for several days.
Clinician only views his anus externally. No digital exam. No anoscope.
Provider confidently states "no hemorrhoids." Discharges him home with miralax and to see primary care.
A 35 year old man with a history of HIV and anal warts has rectal bleeding for several days.
Clinician only views his anus externally. No digital exam. No anoscope.
Provider confidently states "no hemorrhoids." Discharges him home with miralax and to see primary care.
5/
Case 1 - my father. I pushed the surgeons to admit him. He got bypass surgery.
Case 2 - my friend. Found to have syphilis in eye weeks later. Two weeks IV penicillin in hospital.
Case 3 - my friend. Saw Colorectal doc 10 days later. Anoscope done. Swollen hemorrhoids.
Case 1 - my father. I pushed the surgeons to admit him. He got bypass surgery.
Case 2 - my friend. Found to have syphilis in eye weeks later. Two weeks IV penicillin in hospital.
Case 3 - my friend. Saw Colorectal doc 10 days later. Anoscope done. Swollen hemorrhoids.
6/Three cases:
- All patients are Black men
- All providers not Black
- All experienced delays in care
- All had access to care and/or insurance
I can't speak on what's in the hearts and minds of medical providers today, but these stories are not uncommon.
- All patients are Black men
- All providers not Black
- All experienced delays in care
- All had access to care and/or insurance
I can't speak on what's in the hearts and minds of medical providers today, but these stories are not uncommon.
7/
Implicit bias and anti-Blackness occurs every day in medical systems.
Treat Black men with the urgency you would if YOU were having the same symptoms.
We need more Black men in medicine. Period.
#WednesdayThoughts
#MedEd
#Medtwitter
#AcademicTwitter
#Blackmeninmedicine
Implicit bias and anti-Blackness occurs every day in medical systems.
Treat Black men with the urgency you would if YOU were having the same symptoms.
We need more Black men in medicine. Period.
#WednesdayThoughts
#MedEd
#Medtwitter
#AcademicTwitter
#Blackmeninmedicine
