1/🧵Racism & Medicine #MLK
Why was my patient w no brain function shackled?
“Racism is rarely used in medical literature. Most MDs are not explicitly racist & committed to treating patients equally. But they operate in an inherently racist system.”
bit.ly/3rqcwvw
Why was my patient w no brain function shackled?
“Racism is rarely used in medical literature. Most MDs are not explicitly racist & committed to treating patients equally. But they operate in an inherently racist system.”
bit.ly/3rqcwvw
2/ This man’s ankle was shackled despite that he was brain dead after being found down.
Two immediate problems faced us as a medical team that blocked upholding his dignity.
1. The shackles
2. That we were not allowed to communicate directly to his family.
Two immediate problems faced us as a medical team that blocked upholding his dignity.
1. The shackles
2. That we were not allowed to communicate directly to his family.
3/ First battle – unshackle this man.
📍Repeated attempts by our team were met w refusal by the prison guards & wardens.
📍I realize that everyone’s safety must be prioritized, But…
📍This man was of absolutely NO risk to anyone.
📍We were a risk to him.
📍Repeated attempts by our team were met w refusal by the prison guards & wardens.
📍I realize that everyone’s safety must be prioritized, But…
📍This man was of absolutely NO risk to anyone.
📍We were a risk to him.
4/ We were a risk to him & his family because we were asked to follow rules that
1. Forced them to see him treated in a disrespectful manner at the end of his life
2. Blocked medical decision making by separating the medical team from his primary surrogate decision makers.
1. Forced them to see him treated in a disrespectful manner at the end of his life
2. Blocked medical decision making by separating the medical team from his primary surrogate decision makers.
5/ By issuing a medical order to have the cuffs removed, we were able to honor his innate human dignity and provide the right setting for his family to come see him.
6/ Second Battle – We needed permission to communicate directly to the family.
But the system said no. Not allowed.
Have you ever imagined conducting an end-of-life discussion without direct communication between the medical team and the patient/family?
But the system said no. Not allowed.
Have you ever imagined conducting an end-of-life discussion without direct communication between the medical team and the patient/family?
7/ In the end, we were able to meet directly with his family, but only after considerable climbing through the system’s hierarchy.
As is mentioned in this 2016 @NEJM article, we must get at the root causes of racism.
As is mentioned in this 2016 @NEJM article, we must get at the root causes of racism.
8/ Unconscious biases are always present, and I’m thankful for formal and informal training by leaders who spoke @CIBScenter today to remind us we are here to serve others and provide a voice for the unheard.
@NettlesArie @DrCHWilkins @kbjohnsonmd
@NettlesArie @DrCHWilkins @kbjohnsonmd
9/ There are still too many examples of systemic racism in medicine.
This story is all too real & too sad. These are tough decisions, and we approach them with different lenses.
Respect and trust are vital to our everyday living. And you can’t have one without the other.
This story is all too real & too sad. These are tough decisions, and we approach them with different lenses.
Respect and trust are vital to our everyday living. And you can’t have one without the other.
10/ In #MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he writes:
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
Let’s create light and not heat.
#Justice
Link: bit.ly/33wfrL0
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
Let’s create light and not heat.
#Justice
Link: bit.ly/33wfrL0
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