Patient's Bill Of Rights Case Study

July 2nd, 1964 is a radical date for African Americans, putting into law that discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, or nationality is illegal. Consequently, the Patient’s Bill of Rights was adopted and works with hospitals to ensure patients are given considerate, respectful and effective care. Like the Civil Rights Acts, patients have rights that must be protected. However, the effectiveness of the Patient’s Bill of Rights is debated upon, especially in modern times. There is considerable evidence of cases of discriminations against patients based on certain characteristics and though both hospitals and the government enforce the Patients’ Bill of Rights, the rights of patients have not been protected enough.

When dealing with

Lacks was the patient whose cancer cells were extracted, which ended up creating the immortal HeLa cells. The HeLa cells, which never stop growing, have been used for research and have led to vaccines and cures for diseases such as polio and leukemia. However, these cells came at the cost of Henrietta Lacks and her family greatly suffering. According to Rebecca Skloot, who wrote “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, discussed how the doctors that treated Henrietta Lacks often “used patients from the public ward for research…it was fair to use them as research subjects as a form of payment” (Skloot, 30). This sick treatment of patients only highlights the abuse that occurs at the hand of doctors. Of course, we must also consider that Lacks lived in a world where discrimination was prevalent. The early 1900s in America are characterized by racial segregation, keeping whites and blacks separated. Coupled with this, Lacks’ hopes of proper treatment were slim to none. Along with thousands of others, Henrietta Lacks was a victim in this silent

Often, younger patients become prioritized over older ones, which results in poorer treatments. Geriatrics, the branch of medicine that deals with healthcare for older patients, has become a neglected field that can only be explained by discrimination against older people. Patients should not be forgotten because they are older in age, as they should have the right to equal treatment. The negligence of these patients causes damaging consequents such as the worsening of preexisting conditions, or the development of new ones. Looking at a study from 2008, “one out of five adults experience discrimination in healthcare setting” (Pecci). This statistic specifically addresses discrimination against those older than 50. Individuals older than 50 make up at least 20% of the United States population. Although older patients do not make up most patients, they should be entitled to the same treatment of those who are