Dr. Hudson delivers keynote address on health disparities

2/9/2009

Published: January 29, 2009 3:00 a.m. Surgeon: Break health care barriers Michael Schroeder The Journal Gazette

"Health care disparities have been a way of life in America," said Dr. Hilton M. Hudson II, a Chicago-based heart surgeon and outspoken author who visited Fort Wayne on Wednesday.

Despite medical advances, Hudson said, blacks and Hispanics still disproportionately fall victim to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and HIV/AIDS, and they die younger.

Ethnic minorities are more likely to receive low-quality care than their white counterparts, even among insured and higher-income populations, Hudson said, citing a 2002 Institute of Medicine report.

Hudson was the keynote speaker at the second annual meeting of the Allen County Health Disparity Coalition at the Fort Wayne Marriott.

The coalition's facilitator, Renetta Williams, and other speakers reviewed 2008 accomplishments, recognized volunteers and called on about 50 attendees to continue doing their part to address health disparities.

"Even in 2009, minorities still receive substandard care," Hudson said.

Minorities are less likely to get a host of heart procedures, including bypass operations, stents and angioplasty, he said. And they suffer from poorer outcomes.

The reasons for these disparities are numerous: income, discrimination, access to care, apathy (on the part of medical providers and patients), lack of education, medical literacy, distrust of medical professionals, delays in treatment, lack of communication and stereotyping, Hudson said.

Williams said Hudson's characterization of a national phenomenon matched what the coalition is seeing in Allen County.

"I think he was right on," she said.

Williams liked that Hudson challenged the coalition and others in attendance to work closely with doctors and educate them about health care disparities.

And she appreciated his advice to patients to empower themselves through education.

Chronic disease and limited access to primary-care doctors are a double whammy for many minorities living on Fort Wayne's south side who have to travel west or north for many health care services. Some simply aren't able to make the trip for economic reasons, Williams said.

Local health care providers have been criticized for gravitating toward the city's edge and away from its south and southeast side, but hospital officials say they are working to address health disparities and access issues.

For its part, St. Joseph Hospital - which has received praise for its growth downtown - was a participating organization at a health fair in September where residents got help applying for state health coverage, breaking down barriers to access for some in the community.

About 300 people attended the health fair at Anthony Medical Center; Spanish and Burmese interpreters were onsite to provide assistance. About half the attendants qualified for coverage, according to Kirk Ray, chief executive at St. Joseph Hospital.

A similar health fair is planned for next month.

Ray also touted St. Joseph Medical Group, a diverse medical group reflective of the patient population it serves. The group also has a south-side presence.

Ray said selection of physician candidates carefully accounts for whether they're culturally sensitive and understanding of the patient population they will serve.

Parkview Hospital also touted its efforts, including annual prostate cancer screenings: one of the screening sites is the Fort Wayne African-American Cancer Alliance.

Parkview works to attract and retain a diverse workforce and increase minority representation, spokesman John Perlich said.