The increased incidences of bias against Asian-Americans have many revisiting the issue of racism and prejudice in the healthcare setting. As providers, we are conscious of how bias may impact patient care, but we also have to consider how providers, too, are impacted by ethnic, religious and racist attacks, either from patients or others in the workplace.
At a virtual event hosted by UVA Health, a panel of national experts discussed a recent case study of patient bias against a healthcare provider at a major academic institution. Open to the public and geared toward anyone in the healthcare field, the discussion spanned issues of patient bias, racism and prejudice toward providers and offered answers to common questions, such as:
“When You Are the Target: A Case Study and Expert Panel Discussion on Racism, Bias and Prejudice Against Healthcare Providers”
- What should a caregiver do when confronted by bias directed at them (in the moment and after the event)?
- What is the moral injury experienced by targets of prejudice?
- What can a provider do when witnessing bias directed against a colleague or others?
- What is one’s responsibility as a role model, mentor, or educator to address racism events when they occur, and promote healing and understanding?
The panel featured Tracy Downs, MD, FACS, the incoming UVA Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer, as well as Arturo Saavedra, MD, chair of the Department of Dermatology, clinical psychologist Kimberly Penberthy, MA, PhD, ABPP and others.
Watch a recording of the presentation here.
