Diana Blum’s Post

The fascination with diversity is insane in medicine. No other field does this nonstop. We assume it’s somehow better and make unfounded statements it’s true. If it’s true that black doctors provide better outcomes for black patients, the in our aging population, older doctors will provide better outcomes. Where’s the data, lacking, lacking but statements repeated. Example, read where black doctors added 30 days to life expectancy of black patients. Really??? That’s a 0.1% change. How significant? So a new drug lowers BP by 0.1% decreasing BP from 175 to 174.8. How many want to jump on that bandwagon. Medicine should seek out the best of the best “regardless” of ……. Whatever you want to fill in the blank, including race.

When the American Medical Association was founded in 1847, there was a concerted effort to exclude black physicians from the organization. Sadly, this trend continued for decades. The Flexner Report, published in 1910, called for the closure of five out of seven Black medical schools and had devastating consequences for the Black physician community. Over 30,000 Black physicians were not trained due to these closures. Recent studies have found that the life expectancy of Black residents increased in counties with greater percentages of Black primary care physicians. At RiseHealth Compass, we recognize this history and strive to create a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system for both patients and providers. Let’s RISE together! #healthequity #RiseHealthCompass #FlexnerReport #patient #provider #bettyricelegacy

Congratulations to #Worg Assistant Professor Thomas Helgerman on receiving the U.S National Science Foundation grant to further his research titled: "Addressing Racial Disparities in Medical Education and Science: The Role of the Civil Rights Movement" Helgerman's research takes us back in time to understand the current racial disparities in U.S health outcomes. It looks to answer 2 questions: (i) What effect did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 have on the representation of African Americans in medical education, and how did this affect the supply of Black physicians, especially in underserved communities? (ii) How did the Civil Rights Movement impact the focus of medical research on racial minorities? Helgerman's research was identified by the NSF as one with high potential to advance knowledge within the field of Social and Economic Sciences and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes. To learn more about his work visit: https://lnkd.in/gJgp6G7y Congratulations Thomas! #carlsonproud #researchforgood #worg

Today, I spoke about past and current mistreatment of Black communities within the research enterprise and healthcare. This is what we mean. This is what we are referring to.

I know that many do not have a subscription to the National Review so below is the text of my opinion piece which was published on April 17 to commemorate the second anniversary of my lifetime ban by the leaders of the American College of Surgeons for protesting their embrace of critical race theory and antiracism in the guise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Please read, share, and sign my petition for reinstatement of my rightful privileges. We have to stop this insanity of cancelling and deplatforming everyone who voices an opinion contrary to whatever agenda or ideology is being promoted. The ACS has doubled down in pushing DEI even as this is being increasingly repudiated everywhere it has been installed and proven to be a failure. The recently published ACS DEI Toolkit even promotes the odious concept of racial concordance, which posits that patients will have better outcomes if their surgeon is of the same race. This is nothing more than a return to explicit racism and segregation. It is a slap in the face to every surgeon who daily strives to provide every patient with the best possible care regardless of the their race, ethnicity, gender, class, or station in life. It is the antithesis of Hippocratic medicine. DEI and its stepchild, gender-affirming care for minors will some day be seen as one of the most unscientific and horrendous failures of medicine, on par with the Tuskegee experiments and frontal lobotomies.

"Claims of colorblindness — based on the false idea that race is no longer relevant in our society and that it’s therefore virtuous to avoid noticing it — can manifest as disregard for the race named in the chart. Such claims may also lead to resistance to acknowledging one’s biases or disregard for the social impact of race, which is itself a form of racism." "Instead of striving to be colorblind, clinicians should notice when a patient’s racial identity has been named and cultivate a practice of questioning its relevance. Especially when race is identified without proper context or clarification of its importance, clinicians should be critical of the writer’s intent. Recognition of patients’ racial identities should also trigger self-examination, to counteract entrenched racist attitudes or cognitive shortcuts that may result in erroneously associating a patient with a particular disease or treatment plan." Last week's post (https://buff.ly/3I30m4y) and this one certainly align and initially gave me pause. I very much believe that documenting race and ethnicity matters within the record. The most critical aspect that these authors note is that this cannot be a cursory or passive exercise but one that is comprehensive to truly document the impact of race on the patient's condition(s) and accurately assess one's own bias when treating the patients. As #hospitalists, we have an obligation to improve how we document the care of our patients because the #acutecare space is where so many of our patients of color receive care. These suggestions on a revised approach to documentation challenges us to identify concrete ways to improve our documentation. #hospitalmedicine #EHR #EMR #clinicaldocumentation #BHM #blackhistorymonth #healthequity

"Didn't. Earn. It." DEI is another grotesque and destructive tactic of the Democrat Party to divide our society in order to enable the Democrat Party's continued existence. 1) Convince every non-white, non-heterosexual, non-Christian, non-citizen that they are part of a group, a coalition, of oppressed people--people oppressed by whites, heterosexuals, Christians and citizens. 2) Institutionalize DEI in every company and organization 3) Implement the proactive, offensive tactic of calling everyone else racist, homophobe, xenophobe and misogynist in an attempt to silence them. 4) Funnel a constant stream of taxpayer funds to propel them. 5) Elect "leaders" who are paid to represent this fraudulent coalition. 6) Promise the coalition anything and everything. 7) Implement an "any means justify the end" in which the coalition cheats, gaslights, lies, and steals in the name of "equity" to achieve power. And thus, you have the modern Democrat Party.

Not every patient is a good fit for every doctor...and that's ok. In Direct Primary Care (DPC), physicians can let their culture and personalities shine through, fostering connections with patients who are more culturally aligned for better care. DPC offers a fresh perspective on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - curious to learn more? Check out my article to uncover how. #DPC #healthcare #DEI https://lnkd.in/efj2uR_Y

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis invited me to speak to several hundred medical students on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The title of my discussion: "How to Develop a Citizenship Mindset: The Evolution of Civility." This speech and Q&A was organized before the election, but I was so pleased with the students' curiosity, questions and ideas. Many are worried about the polarizing rhetoric in politics and, as aspiring physicians, they are concerned about hostility toward public health professionals. My message was to stay engaged in daily civic participation, particularly at the local level. The seven tips on fomenting civil discourse, in the photo, come from my research, ideas from experts, and my own lived experience in the field of civic journalism. Here they are: * Make it intentional * Create the right conditions * Seek common ground * Stay positive * Know when to disengage * Don't give up * In person is better than social media I know there are folks elated about the next four years and some who would like to sleep through them, but the work of strengthening a democratic republic is hard work that requires the daily discipline of seeking hope. If you want to read some essays on having better conversations, check out my latest Tennessee Voices newsletter: https://lnkd.in/g8h93uJh

🌟 Legacy is a compelling exploration of systemic racism in healthcare, deeply informed by her own near-fatal experience with misdiagnosis. Her insights into how biases and historical injustices shape medical practice resonate profoundly with me as an Afro-Latina in tech. Uché Blackstock, MD’s discussion on the historic Flexner Report’s impact on Black medical schools like Howard University Hospital and the recent Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action highlights the persistent barriers faced by Black professionals. Her call for anti-racism training and equitable healthcare echoes our mission at Lavender Lotis and Arisworks. We’re dedicated to leveraging our tech expertise to address these systemic issues, creating solutions that promote inclusivity and equity. Just as Blackstock advocates for a more just healthcare system, we aim to build a tech landscape that supports and uplifts marginalized communities. By integrating diverse perspectives and championing systemic change, we’re paving the way for a future where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive. 🚀💡 #DiversityInTech #HealthEquity #InnovationForAll #AfroLatinaInTech https://lnkd.in/eqR_YGKx