Betsy McCaughey: Doctors and Nurses Are Not Racists

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are not racists. They are everyday heroes. Left-wing activists and their media allies (including The New York Times) blame health care workers, blaming them for the poorer outcomes for Black patients. This is a cheap shot, and a fabrication.

The Times published Sunday’s front-page story, based on U.S. Census data that showed Black women are more likely to die in childbirth or to lose their babies than white women. Even Black mothers who are financially well-off and have children die at higher rates than their white counterparts. Their health is not guaranteed by their wealth.

Actual analysis did not blame racism for Black mothers’ experiences, nor did it include any evidence that doctors and nurses caring to newborns and pregnant women are racist.

The Times still supported the conclusion by the Times that higher death rates are a result of the “effects of racism” Because minority mothers are “treated differently and given different access to interventions.” That’s false.

Who is responsible? The major causes of higher death rates are obesity, early teen pregnancy, and hypertension (higher blood pressure). These issues need our attention.

However, many activists would prefer to use the race card to gain political points rather than confront the causes of these deaths. Mary Bassett (New York State Health Commissioner) is one such activist. Basset calls for support for national reparations and argues that reparations should be supported “can bring us closer” To “end(ing) racial health inequities.” That’s ridiculous.

Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York and Rochester Black Nurses Association sponsored a Zoom presentation. It accused nurses of intentionally not answering calls from Black patients and warned about “KKK in the hospitals.”

These lies could discourage Black women from seeking the prenatal or postpartum care that they require.

The New York Times article doesn’t mention the real causes of infant mortality. National Vital Statistics shows that a baby born into an obese mother has a 55% chance of dying within one year. Blacks are most likely to be obese.

Teen pregnancy is another major cause of infant death. Hispanic teens and teens of color are twice as likely to have a baby than white teens. Teens often skip prenatal care. Their pelvic structure is not strong enough to allow them to have babies to term. This causes their babies to be born prematurely. “Reflecting these increased risk factors, infants born to women of color are at higher risk for mortality compared to those born to White women,” The Kaiser Family Foundation reports.

The survival rate of so many prematurely born babies is a testimony of the dedication and unbiased heroism shown by the OB-GYN nurses and doctors who work tirelessly to save them.

However, 44,000 infants still die within the first year of their lives. By comparison, the annual maternal mortality death rate is 861.

It is being portrayed as a sign of maternal mortality. “crisis” By the Biden administration, and liberal media. The White House declared a “whole-of-government approach” You can combat it. It’s actually a minor problem. Even one mother’s death is tragic. Compare 861 maternal deaths to 99,000 hospital-acquired infection-related deaths annually.

The most urgent task for health care professionals is to stop being indoctrinated about anti-racism.

But the Biden administration requires doctors who are paid by Medicare to provide evidence of a “commitment to anti-racism” Send an email “anti-racism plan” or face a lower penalty. The Medicare rule, which can be found in the Federal Register on Nov. 19, 2021 at page 65.969, actually parrots IbramX. Kendi’s concept in his book “How to Be an Antiracist” The only way to end discrimination in the past is to prioritize certain populations.

Does this mean doctors have to give Hispanic and Asian patients less time and refer fewer people to specialists? These ideas are not appropriate in medicine.

Anti-racism in medicine won’t save the lives of Black mothers or infants. All patients are treated with respect by doctors and nurses, no matter their skin color. They are heroes.