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Healthcare groups call racism a ‘public health’ concern in wake of tensions over police brutality
After days of protests across the world against police brutality toward minorities sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, healthcare groups are speaking out against the impact of “systemic racism” on public health.
“These ongoing protests give voice to deep-seated frustration and hurt and the very real need for systemic change. The killings of George Floyd last week, and Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor earlier this year, among others, are tragic reminders to all Americans of the inequities in our nation,” Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA), said in a statement.
“As places of healing, hospitals have an important role to play in the wellbeing of their communities. As we’ve seen in the pandemic, communities of color have been disproportionately affected, both in infection rates and economic impact,” Pollack said. “The AHA’s vision is of a society of healthy communities, where all individuals reach their highest potential for health … to achieve that vision, we must address racial, ethnic and cultural inequities, including those in health care, that are everyday realities for far too many individuals. While progress has been made, we have so much more work to do.”
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) also decried the public health inequality highlighted by the dual crises.
“The violent interactions between law enforcement officers and the public, particularly people of color, combined with the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on these same communities, puts in perspective the overall public health consequences of these actions and overall health inequity in the U.S.,” SHEA said in a statement. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) executives called for health organizations to do more to address inequities.
“Over the past three months, the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the racial health inequities harming our black communities, exposing the structures, systems, and policies that create social and economic conditions that lead to health disparities, poor health outcomes, and lower life expectancy,” said David Skorton, M.D., AAMC president and CEO, and David Acosta, M.D., AAMC chief diversity and inclusion officer, in a statement.
“Now, the brutal and shocking deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have shaken our nation to its core and once again tragically demonstrated the everyday danger of being black in America,” they said. “Police brutality is a striking demonstration of the legacy racism has had in our society over decades.”
They called on health system leaders, faculty researchers and other healthcare staff to take a stronger role in speaking out against forms of racism, discrimination and bias. They also called for health leaders to educate themselves, partner with local agencies to dismantle structural racism and employ anti-racist training.
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ThedaCare physicians, advanced practice clinicians take pay cuts
ThedaCare physicians and advanced practice clinicians will take a 10 percent pay cut to help reduce the Appleton, Wis.-based health system’s financial hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization confirmed to The Post-Crescent.
The physicians and advanced practice clinicians — which include physician assistants and nurse practitioners — will see their pay reduced beginning in June, Cassandra Wallace, a ThedaCare spokesperson, told the newspaper.
ThedaCare is projecting a $70 million loss this year after temporarily postponing revenue-generating elective surgeries and nonurgent clinic visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health system began a phased approach to reinstate services last month, but the recommended suspension and the costs associated with COVID-19 preparation resulted in net revenue dropping 40 percent in April, ThedaCare said in a June 4 news release.
The salary reductions are part of the health system’s plan to narrow its projected loss to $30 million, said Imran A. Andrabi, MD, ThedaCare president and CEO.
Dr. Andrabi has also agreed to take a 50 percent pay cut, and other executive leaders will take a 40 percent cut to improve the health system’s financial picture.
Additionally, ThedaCare leaders will not be eligible for incentive compensation for 2020, the health system said.
The health system’s plan does not include mass layoffs.
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HENRY KOTULA 