LIMITED CAPACITY. THEY FEEL
SUING IS THEIR ONLY OPTION.
BLACK IN A WHITE COAT BLACK
AMERICANS HAVE SOME OF THE
WORST HEALTH OUTCOMES OF ANY
RACIAL GROUP. BLACK MEN HAVE
THE SHORTEST LIFE
EXPECTANCIES, BLACK WOMEN
FARE, THE WORST IN PREGNANCY
AND MORE BLACK BABIES DIED
THAN IN ANY OTHER RACE.
ONE SOLUTION MAY BE
DIVERSITY. MANY HEALTH
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SUGGESTED
MORE DIVERSITY IN HEALTH CARE
WORKERS TO REFLECT THE
PATIENTS THAT THEY TREAT.
BUT TONIGHT THERE'S A SO
WEAKLY EXPLAINS WHY IT'S A LOT
MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO TO REACH THAT
GOAL OF DIVERSIFYING THE
WORKFORCE LESS THAN 6% OF ALL
PHYSICIANS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE
BLACK. WHEN AFRICAN AMERICANS
MAKE UP 13% OF THE POPULATION.
3 DOCTORS IN GRAND RAPIDS
SHARED VERY PERSONAL,
DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES WITH US
A PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN
EMOTIONAL FOR THEM AND
EXHAUSTING. BUT THEY WANTED TO
SHARE BECAUSE THEY HOPE TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. I
THINK MEDICAL SCHOOLS ARE REAL
CHALLENGE MEANS PUTTING YOUR
LIFE ON HOLD WHILE OTHER
PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD, NOT EASY
AT ALL.
IT MEANS SPENDING 60 TO 80
HOURS A WEEK STUDYING TO CAN'T
BE MEDIOCRE AND BE A SURGE IN
MORE THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS
WHO APPLY DON'T GET IN. YOU
HAVE TO BE GOOD AT WHAT YOU
DO. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE
GRADES AND DO THE WORK PUTTING
ON THAT WHITE COAT MEANS
PROMISING TO DO NO HARM. I
WILL DO WHATEVER I NEED TO DO
TO SAVE YOU AND GET YOU BACK
TO YOUR LOVED ONES BECAUSE
THAT'S THE OATH THAT I TOOK AS
BECOMING A PHYSICIAN BUT
PUTTING ON THAT WHITE COAT
ASSUMPTION IS NOT THAT I'M A
DOCTOR. WHEN I WALK INTO THE
ROOM IS JUST NOT DOESN'T
ALWAYS BRING RESPECT YOU SHE
ON TO DOCTOR SMITH CAME DOCTOR
GIBSON AND DOCTOR HAMILTON ARE
ALL HIGHLY TRAINED EXPERIENCED
PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS. THEY
HAVE ALSO ALREADY IN CASES
WHERE THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN
MATTERED MORE THAN THEIR
EXPERTISE, THEIR PASSION AND
THEIR PROMISES. DOCTOR CHARLES
GIBSON HAS DONE THOUSANDS OF
OPERATIONS IN HIS 10 YEARS AS
A TRAUMA SURGEON ONE SITUATION
STANDS OUT SHE HAD A WHOLE
EITHER HER STOMACH OR
INTESTINE, SOMETHING SOME SORT
OF PERFORATION THAT WAS MAKING
HER SECOND AND REALLY PAINFUL.
AND SHE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW,
I HAVE 12 OUT OF 10 PAIN. THIS
IS THE WORST PAIN EVER FELT IN
MY LIFE.
WHICH YOU CAN UNDERSTAND MY
CONFUSION. WHEN WE HAD TO HAVE
THIS SIDE DISCUSSION THAT SIDE
DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT DOCTOR
GIBSON AFTER KIND OF GOING
THROUGH SOME OF THE MEDICAL
JARGON AND TALKING ABOUT THE
PROCEDURE.
SHE HAD THIS KIND OF
QUIZZICAL LOOK ON HER FACE
SAID, WELL, I UNDERSTAND ALL
THAT. I REALLY DON'T WANT A
BLACK DOCTOR.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT'S
AVAILABLE. WHAT I EXPLAINED TO
HER IS THAT THIS ISN'T
SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SIT ON
AND WAIT TIL NEXT WEEK OR EVEN
TOMORROW AND SOMETHING WHERE
IF WE DON'T INTERVENE RIGHT
AWAY, YOU WILL GET WORSE. YOU
WILL DIE WITHIN THE NEXT 24
HOURS IN THE WORST PAIN OF HER
LIFE, KNOWING HER LIFE WAS
EXACTLY WHAT WAS AT STAKE.
THE WOMAN WAITED FOR 30
MINUTES BEFORE SHE AGREED TO
THE TO SURGERY 9 TREE HERE,
JUST LIKE TREAT MY OWN MOTHER
JUST LIKE I DO ALL OF MY
PATIENTS. SHE SURVIVED AND
DOCTOR GIBSON MOVED TO THE
NEXT EMERGENCY. BUT THE
FEELING STAYED WITH HIM DOES
MAKE YOU THINK THAT, YOU KNOW.
WHAT, WHAT AM I DOING
DIFFERENTLY OR WHAT. WHAT
COULD I HAVE DONE BETTER. DID.
DID I COME OFF AROUND LIKE
WHAT DENIED ALL THESE THINGS
THAT ARE COMPLETELY RATIONAL
BECAUSE RACISM BY DEFINITION
IS IT IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR.
DOCTOR GIBSON EXPERIENCED
BLATANT RACISM LIKE THIS MANY
TIMES GROWING UP IN THE SOUTH.
IT ISN'T ALWAYS SO
APPARENT, EVEN THOUGH NOBODY'S
WAVING A FLAG ARE BURNING
ACROSS OR DO ANYTHING WILD.
WHAT YOU SEE ON MOVIES IN THE
SOUTH. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
IT'S NOT HAPPENING. DOESN'T
MEAN THAT.
PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, TOSS
IN ONE JOB APPLICATION AND
KEEPING ANOTHER IN FAVOR OF
SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT.
GIBSON DOESN'T WANT SPECIAL
TREATMENT. HE DOES HOPE FOR
BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT I'D
LIKE PEOPLE TO REALIZE IS THAT
THE WAY THAT YOU SEE AMERICA
IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHERE
SOME OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT SEE
AMERICA AND THE END RESULT OF
ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE
PRESENTED TO US.
TO HAVE THAT SORT OF GLASS
CEILING OR LIMITS OF YOUR
UPWARD SOCIAL MOBILITY LIMITED
BY SOMETHING AS AS ULTIMATELY
MEETING WITH THE SKIN COLOR.
IT'S INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.
DOCTOR GIBSON'S EXPERIENCES
WITH RACISM AREN'T LIMITED TO
HIS TIME IN A WHITE COAT AND
NEITHER ARE HIS COLLEAGUES.
DOCTOR CANDACE SMITH KING HAS
SEEN THE DIFFERENCE. IT CAN
MAKE FOR A PATIENT TO HAVE A
PEDIATRICIAN WHO LOOKS LIKE
THEM. WE I CAN DEFINITELY TELL
WHEN I WALK INTO A ROOM. GET
THEIR RESPONSE FROM BLACK MOM.
IT'S ALMOST AND EASE. THE
DIFFERENCE GOES BEYOND THE
TRUST FACTOR THAT CAN CHANGE
PATIENT OUTCOMES. WELL HAVE
HAD A RESIDENT FELLOW MOM TO
WASH THE CHILD'S HERE EVERY
DAY.
WHEN THE BLACK FAMILY WOULD
NEVER WASH THE CHILD'S HERE
EVERY DAY.
AND SO WHEN THEY WHEN I
WALK IN THE ROOM, THEY LIKE.
SO I WAS TOLD TO WASH HIS HAIR
EVERY DAY BECAUSE HE HAS SHE
HAS THIS. AND I'M LIKE YOU
DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
DOCTOR SMITH KING FEELS
RESPECTED DOING THIS WORK. BUT
THINGS CHANGED WHEN SHE TAKES
OFF HER WHITE COAT WHEN I
THINK THE WHITE COAT OFF. I
REALLY DO FEEL AS THOUGH I AM
NOT SEEN AS. A PROFESSIONAL, A
WOMAN.
OF OF A FEEL AS THOUGH THE
ASSUMPTIONS THAT SOCIETY HAS
ABOUT BLACK WOMEN SINCE WHO IT
RAISE THEMSELVES UP WITH
ASSUMPTIONS LIKE HOW MUCH
MONEY SHE HAS OR DOESN'T HAVE
IN ONE CASE, A CLERK FOLLOWED
HER THROUGH THE STORE KNOWING
THAT I WAS BEING FOLLOWED
AROUND AS THOUGH I COULDN'T.
IT STRUCK A NERVE WITH ME.
ACTUALLY, WE JUST WALKED RIGHT
OUT THE STORM. DOCTOR SMITH
KING HAS 4 CHILDREN FROM 9 TO
23 YEARS OLD 2 ADDITIONAL
OLDER CHILDREN IN MY HOME. MY
PARENTS I CALL CHILDREN MULTI
GENERATIONAL.
LIVING IS SOMETHING VERY
COMMON IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT'S IT'S JUST THE
RELATIONSHIP. MY KIDS COULD
HAVE WITH THE GRANDPARENTS IS
PHENOMENAL. HER MOM TURNED THE
TIDE FOR HER FAMILY. SHE WAS
THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE OR
EVEN FINISH HIGH SCHOOL. MY
MOM GRADUATED.
FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1968 IN
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. VERY
SEGREGATED CITY. YOU KNOW, SO
TO SEE HER PUSH KNOWING THAT
SHE PROBABLY DID NOT GOOD THE
WONDERFUL EDUCATION, BUT TO
SEE HER PUSH TO BREAK THROUGH
BARRIERS, GO TO COLLEGE, GET
HER MASTER'S IN SOCIAL WORK.
AND THEN AS I WAS IN MEDICAL
SCHOOL. SHE WENT BACK TO GET
HER PHD IN CLINICAL SOCIAL
WORK TO SEE MY MOM JUST PUSH
THROUGH LIKE THAT. IT MADE ME
REALIZE THAT THERE REALLY
WASN'T ANYTHING THAT COULD
STOP ME. FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
TO THIS DOCTOR. BUT WITH THAT
LOVE COMES IN ACHE. A LONGING
FOR BETTER THE ACHE I THINK
COMES FROM.
HAVING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE
A CONVERSATION THAT I KNOW MY
PARENTS HAVE HAD WITH ME IN
THEIR PARENTS HAVE HAD WITH
HIM. COMES FROM. I FEEL LIKE
IT'S ALMOST A RUINING OF THEIR
CHILD, THEIR CHILDHOOD
EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY REALIZE
THAT MY SKIN ACTUALLY MATTERS
MORE. IN WHO I AM AS A PERSON.
THAT'S THE THAT'S CUP IT HAVE
WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT
MY 12 YEAR-OLD SON WHO TO ME
STILL LOOKS LIKE THE SWEETEST
LITTLE GENTLE LITTLE BOY. HAVE
TO HAUL SAY YOU'RE NOT THAT.
SEE ANYBODY ELSE, THOUGH. JUST
TO ME AND TO YOUR FAMILY. BUT
OUTSIDE OF THIS HOUSE. IF YOU
ARE A THREAT. AND THAT'S THE
8TH. THAT'S THE 8TH THAT
APPEAL. IS A MOTHER OF A OF A
BLACK SON THAT DOCTOR KENDALL
HAMILTON IS AN ORTHOPEDIC
SURGEON SPECIALIZING IN
SPORTS, MEDICINE AND
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY. HE'S
BEEN THE ASSISTANT TEAM
PHYSICIAN FOR SEVERAL
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS,
INCLUDING THE HOUSTON ASTRO'S.
AND THE NASA ASTRONAUT
CORPS. THE DAYS THAT WE SEE
OUR PATIENTS IN OFFICE.
USUALLY ARE THE DAYS THAT WE
SEE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED.
SEVERELY THAT NEED FURTHER
CARE SUCH AS SURGERY ON A DAY
LIKE THAT. DOCTOR HAMILTON WAS
EXPECTING TO SEE A MAN WHO HAD
BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AFTER
ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES.
OF TIME THAT PASSED THE
PATIENT HAD SHOWN SHOWED UP.
AND SO.
I WAS CONCERNED. I HONESTLY
DIDN'T KNOW I'VE NEVER
EXPERIENCED CAMAGUEY ROLLING
IS THE OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR
THE OFFICE. I WAS JUST SHOCKED
THAT SOMEONE WOULD SAY I DON'T
SEE THAT PROVIDER BECAUSE HE'S
BLACK. I WAS ABSOLUTELY
SHAKEN. I LIKE WENT BACK TO MY
OFFICE AND CRIED. I WAS JUST.
FRESH TRADED AND.
CONFUSED. CAN WE CALL AND
REACH OUT TO THE PATIENT AND
SEE WHY THIS PATIENT MISS
THEIR APPOINTMENT TODAY. AND
THE RESPONSE I GOT BACK FROM
MY STAFF WAS. WELL, THE
PATIENT SHOW UP. BUT WE
ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THE
SITUATION MYSELF AND HIS 2
ATHLETIC TRAINERS WERE TRYING
TO.
IN PHILLY. AND I GUESS FROM
A KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON. I
WENT IN AND TALK TO PATIENT
MIGHT KNOW THAT HE COULD NOT
CHOOSE HIS FACTOR BASED ON
DISCRIMINATORY REASON THEY
WANTED TO PROTECT ME. THEY
WANT TO PROTECT ME FROM
HEARING THAT STORY NEARLY GOT
A RISK IN LEGAL TEAM AND SOME
OF OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
INVOLVED.
JUST TO GET SOME
CLARIFICATION ABOUT LEGALLY.
HOW COULD WE STILL SUPPORT
THIS PATIENT HELP. THIS
PATIENT. AT THE SAME TIME, NOT
HONOR ANY REQUESTS THAT WERE
BASED ON DISCRIMINATION. AND
WHAT DID THEY TELL YOU. SO I I
JUST IMPRESSED AND I WAS
COMPLETELY I FELT COMPLETELY
SUPPORTIVE OF OUR BECAUSE THEY
SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE
THIS ISN'T A LEGAL REASON TO
NOT SEE A PHYSICIAN. IT'S
HARD. IT HURTS. BECAUSE IT'S
SOMETHING I CAN'T CHANGE. I
CAN I CAN GET MORE TRAINING. I
CAN GET MORE EDUCATION. I CAN
GET BETTER AND WHAT I DO WITH
EXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE, BUT I
CAN'T CHANGE HOW I LOOK. I
CAN'T CHANGE MY SKIN COLOR
CHANGE. HOW WAS BOARD. SO IT
DOES HER IT'S ALWAYS WITH YOU.
THESE DOCTORS SAY THE
REASON THEY WERE WILLING TO
SHARE ALL OF THIS EVEN THOUGH
IT MEANS RELIVING THE TRAUMA
IS BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW
WILLING TO LISTEN. THEY ALL
WORK FOR SPECTRUM HEALTH
HOSPITAL LEADERS HAVE MADE A
HUGE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO
IMPROVING DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
TO THE TUNE OF A 100 MILLION
DOLLARS COMING UP TOMORROW ON
DAYBREAK, WHAT THESE DOCTORS
THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN
MAKING PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT
FOR EQUALITY. THAT'S ALL