By Larcenia Taylor
My name is Larcenia Taylor. I am a mother, sister, wife of a husband who was medically neglected and passed away.
Here is my story and thoughts on medical racism. There is no difference between medical racism and societal racism, there is one exception, medical racism can end a life. As a black patient you have to be aware of what the doctor is telling you, don’t go into an appointment with lack of knowledge of what you are being treated for. As a black patient be aware that every medical professional has someone supervising them. Go to that person first to get a better understanding of the overall problem. If they seem un-interested go to an attorney to get what the laws states about I’m going to talk about the care my husband received the day he died.
My deceased husband was transported to an emergency room for Syncope ( he passed out at home). When he arrived the ambulance notes stated he was having no complications. In the emergency room hospital records stated he was put in emergency room “C”, doctor order test and an injection of medication called Zofran. I read what Zofran was for(nausea) and he received 4 mg of Zofran. I researched and Zofran was not supposed to be given to heart patients unless they were closely monitored.
While in the emergency room he suffered a heart attack and the medication they gave him caused other heart issues. The hospital records states that when he was found he was non-responsive and had no pulse( dead). The emergency room doctor told me my husband just stopped breathing. Hospital records state he was summoned to my husband’s bedside and he found him non-responsive with no pulse. I reported this information to the California Department of Public Health. They confirmed what my research had stated, that he was not on a heart monitor, he was not being monitored by staff, he did have an injection of Zofran, he was in emergency room “C” and the fact that he died. The report was very thorough. None of the hospital staff would listen to me their main concern as of today is to protect their doctors at any cost.
As minorities seeking justice and equitable treatment what solutions should be propose? I know this may seem far to the right but to get equitable treatment a patient must research what they are being treated for and if something goes wrong in the treatment you have to be financially able to go against the hospital and or doctors. Both hospitals and doctors have enough resources to manipulate the truth, hide their wrong doing and just lie. The bottom line is knowledge, finances and race are contributing factors for equitable treatment.
Hospital Administrators only concern is the protection of their doctors. I believe a black medical professional would have been more attentive knowing my husband’s medical history. The white emergency room doctor knew his history and according to the state report it went unnoticed from the emergency room doctor.
Did you see other doctors to get a proper diagnosis? No,my husband was in the emergency room and the doctor he saw gave him medication for nausea instead of monitoring his heart issues.
Staggering statistics on. reported discrimination and prejudice in healthcare. According to Beryl Institute 42% of blacks, 21% of hispanics and 5% white report experiencing discrimination and prejudice in healthcare.
As of 2023 only 5.7% of doctors in theUnited State identified as Black or African American. Now as a widow I’m left to seek answers to medical racism in the court system. There has to be equity through justice for my husband James B. Taylor.
