This book begins as an attempt to tell the story of Dr. Paul Farmer, a “big shot Boston doctor, professor of both medicine and medical anthropology at Harvard Medical School, and an attending specialist on the Brigham’s senior staff” (Kidder, 2009, p. 10). This is a man with multiple prestigious titles under his belt, yet continues to spend the majority of his time and energy in Haiti. Farmer strongly believes that healthcare shouldn’t be a privilege, it is a right that all human beings should have and this belief has brought him to places all around the world. His life’s work is to bring those rights into poverty stricken countries such as Haiti, and Rwanda. Although he is a doctor, his interest isn’t focused specifically on just medicine.
Background statement: Heritage Valley Medical Center has had a wonderful reputation for providing excellent health care services to their community. Initially, their community was 80% Caucasian, 40% African American, and 5% Hispanic. However, in the last 5 years, the population has changed to more minorities and the whites have moved out to the suburbs. This caused the Center’s occupancy rate to go down 40% because many of their traditional, more affluent, private-pay patients had left the neighborhood. To bring in revenue, they campaigned to bring in more Medicaid patients.
Access to affordable healthcare is a major concern that has a significant impact on the well-being of people all across the world. Numerous problems with the current healthcare system exist, including issues with quality, affordability, and access to care. These difficulties are important because they affect how people, groups, and populations fare in terms of their health. Thus, addressing these healthcare challenges is crucial for promoting better health outcomes and improving the quality of life for individuals and communities. In this essay, examples of current healthcare challenges from Kristina Campbell's article "Ready to Respond: EBSCOhost" will be cited to illustrate and reinforce the arguments presented.
As a low-income, first-generation Mexican American/college graduate, my personal identities and experiences uniquely position me to contribute to RFU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (DEI). Through my journey, I have encountered various challenges and triumphs that have shaped my perspective and deepened my commitment to promoting DEI in healthcare and beyond. My lived experience growing up in an economically disadvantaged and medically underserved community has heightened my awareness of the healthcare disparities and inequities that exist, especially being raised in a traditional Hispanic household. It has fueled my passion to address these issues and advocate for accessible, culturally sensitive, and equitable healthcare.
Growing up in a small, rural community the majority of the population was uninsured and underserved. Access to primary healthcare was limited with most physicians’ offices being close to an hour drive one way. I grew up seeing both of my parents work two jobs and still having to make the decision to put their health on the back burner due to lack of finances or insufficient insurance coverage. This often led to numerous emergency department visits because of the lack of access to a primary care physician who could have provided preventative care. This was not only an issue within my home but throughout the town.
Healthcare disparity can be explained as the gap created in the delivery of healthcare to communities which causes some communities to receive better healthcare than others. Some factors that can cause these disparities include race, socioeconomic status, location, and gender. Because of health care disparities, there are a lot of patients who are and will be at risk for many diseases such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension. These disparities negatively affect the overall cost of delivering quality healthcare and are issues that must be addressed by the people who know them best, the health care workers. Through the NURSE Corps Program I hope to help address these imbalances in underserved communities in various ways.
Health disparities have been an issue all over the world. In the United States, individual and community activism have been seen in an attempt to address the health inequalities of the underrepresented groups tracing back to 1781 (Mitchell, 2015). With the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the hope for social equality and justice through insurance for all remains complex. The legislation will certainly provide better health outcomes, but health advocacy remains an important aspect in changing the landscape of our health system. A study indicated that the overall rate of insurance coverage increased and a decreased in “coverage disparities related to race and ethnicity” was noted a few years after the ACA was passed (Buchmueller,
Ways in which I depict service include volunteering at the Brian Adams Benefit to help raise money for a cancer patient whose family is struggling, helping clean up the Shawnee United Methodist Church property by picking up trash and helping with landscaping, ringing the bell to raise money for the Salvation Army, packing and delivering food at the West Ohio Food Bank for families in need, along with helping prepare food for needy families who come and stay at the church. I feel it is important to try to help as much of the community as possible, which is why I also volunteer at the Humane Society of Allen County. Showing a respect for not only my own community, but communities around my own, is something I pride myself on. Today’s society needs as much positivity as possible, and I try to provide that by giving up my own time for the well being of
In addition, the decision by some states not to expand Medicaid eligibility will have detrimental effects on the insurance coverage of African immigrants with the lowest incomes. For example, in states that expanded Medicaid, studies show that the rate of uninsured Latino’s decreased from 35% to 15%, while in states without expansion, the uninsured rates remained the same.(32) Cancer awareness was accomplished during this health fair, with a family history of certain cancers
The discovery of antibiotics, vaccines, and anesthesia transformed the practice of medicine, leading to improved outcomes for patients. However, these innovations were not without their drawbacks, as evidenced by the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the anti-vaccine movement. Additionally, the development of medical specialties and the expansion of medical education and research led to a more complex and sophisticated healthcare system. Despite these changes, access to healthcare remained unequal, with marginalized populations facing numerous barriers to receiving quality
Poverty in the south bronx In the world we live in today there are too many people who are suffering due to the inability to feed themselves. Some are asking if poor people care about their health then why aren 't they doing anything about ameliorating their health. This is because they don 't have the tools to make their life better, they’re not in the same situation as a rich person does. They also ask why is it difficult for them to prevent it.
My medical volunteer trips to Haiti played a large role on my decision to practice osteopathic medicine. The medical trip was the initiation of a medical organization name “Heart in Hand”. My interaction with the locals in the province of “Cotes-de-fer” and “Grand Goave” were very rewarding in the aspect of giving back through medicine. I believe in volunteerism for the less fortunate, I also believe that a healthier person have a better shot at improving their lives more so than a sick person. While medicine will allow me as physician to care for someone who cannot care for their selves, I believe the “Heart in Hand” organization will help the individual who cannot afford a
the unfortunate truth is that not everyone is as lucky as I am to get that chance, around the world there are children who don't have a chance to learn or to get food on their plates, it is our responsibility and destiny in life to help others. I would like to be part of that change in the future, to help those in need and inspire those who are lost. as someone that was born in a third world country I have and an idea of what it is like when you have limited resources. I'm a
It has always been my dream to make an impact in someone else’s life, and by giving back to the community and the world
Certainly, growing up in poverty is a strength I hold dear to my heart. Surely, it was a struggle my parents, myself, and my brothers, however, my challenging past influenced me to be a hard worker, show up to work 15 minutes early, and perform my duties so I can have a job. Lastly, growing up in this financial condition has taught me how to value life instead of personal belongings.
