Discrimination in Health Care

Editorials1 June 1997Discrimination in Health CareGerald E. Thomson, MDGerald E. Thomson, MDCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-11-199706010-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The history of hospital care has provided special and sometimes dramatic views of developments in medical technology and medical care. Hospital settings have mirrored educational, research, and ethical issues; the roles of health professionals; ways in which care is delivered; and concerns about medical policy.Until the late 19th century, almost all patients received their medical care at home. Therapy was comparatively simple, and surgery was rudimentary. The introduction of asepsis from 1867 to 1870 and the adoption of anesthesia between 1846 and 1880 advanced the development of abdominal surgery and helped move surgery from kitchen tables to hospitals. Experiences ...References1. Starr P. The Social Transformation of American Medicine. New York: Basic Books; 1982:72-6, 147-79. Google Scholar2. Seham M. Discrimination against Negroes in hospitals. N Engl J Med. 1964; 271:940-3. Google Scholar3. Halperin EC. Desegregation of hospitals and medical societies in North Carolina. N Engl J Med. 1988; 318:58-63. Google Scholar4. Reynolds PP. Hospitals and civil rights, 1945-1963: the case of Simkins v Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 126:898-906. Google Scholar5. Wenneker MB, Epstein AM. Racial inequalities in the use of procedures for patients with ischemic heart disease in Massachusetts. JAMA. 1989; 261:253-7. Google Scholar6. Peterson ED, Wright SM, Daley J, Thibault GE. 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N Engl J Med. 1996; 335:791-9. Google Scholar16. Gittelsohn AM, Halpern J, Sanchez RL. Income, race, and surgery in Maryland. Am J Public Health. 1991; 81:1435-41. Google Scholar17. Falcone D, Broyles R. Access to long-term care: race as a barrier. J Health Polit Policy Law. 1994; 19:583-95. Google Scholar18. Smith DB. The racial integration of health facilities. J Health Polit Policy Law. 1993; 18:851-69. Google Scholar19. Yergan J, Flood AB, LoGerfo JP, Diehr P. Relationship between patient race and the intensity of hospital services. Med Care. 1987; 25:592-603. Google Scholar20. Kahn KL, Pearson ML, Harrison, ER, Desmond KA, Rogers WH, Rubenstein LV, et al. Health care for black and poor hospitalized Medicare patients. JAMA. 1994; 271:1169-74. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032Corresponding Author: Gerald E. Thomson, MD, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoHospitals and Civil Rights, 1945-1963: The Case of Simkins v Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital P. 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