A recent NBC News article discussed the removal of the J. Marion Sims statue in New York City. It talked about how symbolic actions, while important, represent only the smallest step society owes to Black communities harmed by medical racism. Beginning with this moment makes it clear how deeply rooted these issues are: taking down a statue may acknowledge past harm, but it does not repair the systems that continue to cause harm today. It is a reminder that medical racism is not a relic of the past but an ongoing structural problem intertwined in modern healthcare.
Medical racism is still a major structural problem in modern healthcare systems, influencing the differences in diagnosis, treatment, and health outcomes, in general. Different studies point to the fact that marginalized groups suffer from higher rates of being mistreated, incorrect diagnosis, having unequal control of pain, and having less access to preventive care at these institutions. There is still an implicit bias among health providers and historically embedded institutional practices. Such treatments not only affect people physically but also destroy the trust that people have in the medical institutions, thus contributing to people’s delay in seeking medical attention and, eventually, worse long-term outcomes. Seeing medical racism as a problem of the whole system rather than one of the isolated cases of interpersonal incidents this helps to open up the discussion about how much reform is needed to deal with the consequences of the issue.
The elimination of medical racism needs an intervention across the institutional, educational, and individual levels. Health systems should comply with and adapt to non-discriminatory bias-reduction procedures at all patient touch points, including training on how to serve patients from diverse cultures with respect, and the involvement of diverse individuals in both clinical decision-making and leadership roles. It is also possible to achieve this through a partnership approach with the community, leading to more culturally sensitive healthcare provision and restoring the relationship of trust between doctors and populations that were previously oppressed. With the rise of social media, many people are becoming aware of these biases and discriminations. People of color are coming out with their stories about racism and are openly expressing their feelings on this topic through media such as TikTok. The struggle against medical racism shows continuous large-scale reforms, as well as the rise in holistic medicine that many people of color use as a way to protect their health in an institution that is still undergoing discrimination and prejudice. To close out this discussion, here is a concept to reflect on moving forward: How can we, as a society, reform the healthcare system and build trust within marginalized communities?
I agree completely, and didn’t think about how social media was a means of allowing people to share their experiences with medical racism. It’s a small step, but awareness is necessary to help garner the support needed to change the structures of healthcare.