Thread by @ChioneNgozi

🧵Promised to share a bit more about what I did to keep safer at a surgical consult recently🙏🏾Forgive me for not doing Q&A-I did consider a Space on this theme-seeing as the #gaslighting dereliction of duty in healthcare is now often OUTRAGEOUS but it’s still v.personal So-1of8⬇️

https://twitter.com/cidrap/status/1646241965338394627

2)This may or may not work but: Share your Covid conscious/IC status w/facility @ appt making stage. Choose wisely-select 1 excellent article or compelling research to email them, to make your point. Go to the ‘organ grinder’😂where possible. Goes w/out saying-be courteous & kind

3) Medical receptionists, Dr’s secretaries & support staff often wield FAR MORE power than you might imagine if you’ve never worked in healthcare. Trust me on that (I’m ex 🇬🇧 NHS/psych)
A support 👏🏾 person👏🏾 is👏🏾PARAMOUNT! BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY find an ally to support every step

4) In my case I was most concerned about air quality & unmasked or surgically masked clinicians attending to me. Think about your biggest concern and focus on what you MIGHT be able to influence. I bought 📦individually wrapped 3M Auras (both sizes) & a new (easy to carry) HEPA.

5)Your support person is hopefully, ideally🤞🏾able to lift/carry that HEPA at the appointment & help with questions and advocacy for you. But if they can manage just one of those things, be grateful and plan how you’ll make up the shortfall. My hubs was epic at all of the above🙏🏾

6) On the day-they know you’re bringing HEPA because you told them & then reminded them JUST before your appointment.😉 I nearly wept when I got a text the morning of my appointment, reminding me: #MaskUp 😭Hubs plugged in HEPA at two locations 4 my appt, which incl physical exam

7) All staff & Drs were in N95, HEPA said air quality was good but I also needed to set a precedent (‘oh she’s the crazy Black HEPA lady’ whatevs I don’t GAF) with all the above steps, to normalise for the next time, the way things are going-when f knows what will be happening.😆

8)Ok final note & disclaimer. This was a private facility BUT☝🏾don’t you get discouraged!😤ALL my life I’ve been treated at & worked as a clinician-in public health settings. Undertaken carefully, the above steps have a good chance of making a dent in either type of healthcare.🍀