Covid 19 coronavirus: black doctor dies after racist complaints of hospital treatment

A black female doctor who died fighting Covid-19 complained of racist healthcare in widely shared posts on social media days before her death, prompting the Indiana hospital system to promise a “full external review” of her treatment.

Dr. Susan Moore, 52, tested positive for Covid-19 late last month and was admitted to IU Health North Hospital in Carmel, Indiana, according to a Facebook post. Keenly aware of her condition and medical procedures, the doctor said she had to repeatedly order medications, scans and routine checkups while admitted to a hospital in Carmel, Indiana. He noticed a particular white doctor who apparently dismissed his pain and said he did not trust the hospital.

“I expose and sustain, if I were white, I wouldn’t have to go through that,” he says in a video on Dec. 4, his voice cracking often. “This is how they kill blacks, when you send them home, and they don’t know how to fight for themselves.”

She was released from the hospital run by the Indiana University Health System on December 7, but was hospitalized again 12 hours later when her temperature soared and her blood pressure dropped, according to her post. They took her to a different hospital, Ascencion St Vincent in Carmel, and she said she was receiving better care.

Still, her condition worsened and she was put on a ventilator. He died on December 20, his 19-year-old son Henry Muhammad told the media. A number on Muhammad’s list could not be located on Friday (US time) and messages left by The Associated Press for two family spokesmen were not immediately returned.

The coronavirus has disproportionately affected blacks, who suffer from higher rates of obesity, diabetes and asthma, making them more susceptible to the virus. African Americans are also more vulnerable due to systemic racism, inequity in access to health care, and economic opportunity.

Many African Americans also report that medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when seeking treatment.

Moore grew up in Michigan, where he earned a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 2002. He had an active medical license in Indiana at the time of his death, according to MLive.com.

Muhammad told The New York Times that his mother had often experienced inferior medical care. He had an inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis that attacks the lungs and was often treated for his condition.

“Almost every time she went to the hospital, she had to defend herself, fight for something in some way, shape or form, just to get basic and proper care,” she told the newspaper.

Dennis Murphy, president and CEO of Indiana University Health, said Thursday he was saddened by Moore’s death. He said he did not believe the medical team “failed on the technical aspects” of Moore’s care after a preliminary medical quality review, but “may not have demonstrated the level of compassion and respect we seek to understand what is most it matters to patients. “

“I request an external review of this case. We will have a diverse panel of health and diversity experts who will conduct a comprehensive medical review of Dr. Moore’s concerns to address any potential treatment bias,” he said in a statement.

Last year, public health experts across the country recognized the role racism plays in health care. Dozens of cities, counties, and states have declared racism a threat to public health. While public health experts have called it a first step, many are skeptical.

Muhammad, who said that his mother was his best friend and a very loving person, did not have a chance to say goodbye before he died.

“I’m outraged beyond words … because if what my mom thinks is true and that it was racism, and she was neglected for it, no one should go through that,” he told ABC News.