I’ve recently discussed in the previous episodes how technology and social media are of great help for the practice of medicine. There’s no denying that I’m all for the power of these two as these help me reach more people and allow more people to have access to important healthcare information.
There were significant amounts of people who look like me who were not able to get the information they need in relation to their health, and there’s no way I’m ignoring that reality anymore. If we don’t talk about access to healthcare and the challenges our patients face in relation to that, then we’re only doing half the job, and that’s not in any way playing a significant role towards betterment.
As a physician, it’s hard to sleep at night knowing that these deserving yet minority community people get to be severely behind the eight ball in healthcare just because of color.
So today, we’ll address these issues and face the reality that as physicians, we still need to go above and beyond.
Why you need to check out this episode:
- Understand what these health disparities are and how these affect minority communities;
- Discover the social determinants of health and why that has played such a significant factor in minority communities being severely behind the eight ball in their healthcare;
- Learn about the current situation of access to healthcare and why it’s something that should be talked about; and
- Recognize the importance of being culturally competent, especially on how it affects the practice of medicine
“Help us help you; that’s what I always say. And for healthcare providers, understand that we still need to go above and beyond, because we know our patients are dealing with things that we can’t even ignore anymore.” –Dr. Berry Pierre
Topics Covered:
00:00 – Today’s focus: Dr. Berry enumerates points included in his outline as to what will be discussed in this episode
03:45 – Defining health disparities: Definition and scope of health disparities in minority communities, and why it’s an issue that should be talked about
08:02 – Social determinants of health: The power of social media and how it helps people have access to physicians, and how medical bias plays a role in all this
13:27 – Access to healthcare: The hurdles people go through as they think and decide whether to go visit a doctor – the reality that should be addressed and considered
19:16 – Cultural competency in healthcare: How culturally competent physicians change how the practice is lived, resulting in better health outcomes
22:16 – Be a part of it or not: Understanding the importance of community-based participation, especially when it comes to research
25:19 – Addressing health limitations: Why healthcare providers need to make sure to be doing a better job not only at screening but also treating when there’s a chance
Notable Quotes:
“If you do not talk about access in regards to the challenges of health and being healthy, then again, you’re only doing half the job.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“No, I won’t accept that just being Black is the reason why I’m affected by high blood pressure and high cholesterol and obesity and kidney disease. No, that can’t just be the simple answer. For a lot of people, they want to make it the simple answer, but it’s just not.”- Dr. Berry Pierre
“Yes, technology is great. Yes, social media is great for the practice of medicine. But if you’re not using those two facets to help the deserving communities who need our help to get healthier, then you’re not doing what you need to be doing.”- Dr. Berry Pierre
“If I’m going to do the best for my patient, I have to make sure I meet the patient where the patient is at, not the other way around because even if they wanted to, they couldn’t.”– Dr. Berry Pierre
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