The Black Indiana doctor who publicly complained that she was racially mistreated in a hospital has died of Covid-19.
On November 29, Indianapolis physician Dr. Susan Moore tested positive for coronavirus. She said some of her symptoms included high respiratory rate, high heart rate, high fever, and coughing up blood. She was admitted into Indiana University Hospital North for treatment.
Earlier this month, Moore posted a video on Facebook claiming that she was not receiving proper medical care at the hospital. “I don’t trust this hospital,” said Moore with an oxygen tube hooked up to her nose. “That is not how you treat patients.” In the video, she insisted that the hospital was neglecting her because of her race. She described having to beg the hospital’s staff – predominately white doctors and nurses – for the antiviral drug Remdesivir. Moore said she waited hours for pain medication and demanded a CT scan of her chest to prove that she was telling the truth about her pain, CBS News reports.
Even though the scan showing pulmonary infiltrates and inflamed lymph nodes, she says the hospital continued to make her wait for pain medication. “All I know is that I am in intense pain,” Moore said, adding that the doctor made it seem as if she was lying about her agony. “[The doctor] made me feel like I was a drug addict, and he knew I was a physician.”
CBS News reports that a patient advocate told her that nothing could be done. When Moore asked to be transferred to another hospital, she was told she should go home. “This is how Black people get killed,” Moore said. “When you send them home and they don’t know how to fight for themselves.” She said she would have never had to fight so hard to receive proper medical care if she were white. “I put forward and I maintain, if I was White, I wouldn’t have to go through that,” Moore said. “And [the doctor] never came back and apologized.”
After some time, Moore was sent home. Less than 12 hours later, she went back to the hospital because her fever spiked, and her blood pressure drastically dropped. “Those people were trying to kill me. Clearly, everyone has to agree they discharge me way too soon,” she wrote. “They are now treating me for a bacterial pneumonia as well as Covid pneumonia.” The woman died this week after being admitted to another hospital, CBS News reports.
Moore is just one of the millions of stories about Black people, especially Black women, being neglected in the health care system and receiving medical care. The outlet reports that Black Americans are 4.7 more likely to be hospitalized with Covid-19 than white Americans. According to a 2016 study, white medical students wrongly believe that Black people have a higher pain tolerance than white people. Black mothers are also more likely to experience preventable maternal death than white women, according to NationalPartnership.org.
Let’s fight racial discrimination and health disparities in the healthcare system and get justice for Dr. Susan Moore!
Dr. Susan Moore died today from COVID, but HOW she died is unacceptable. She posted a video to Facebook from an Indiana hospital days before her death about mistreatment. "This is how black people get killed when you send them home and they don't know how to fight for themselves" https://t.co/iSF8rs7qmI pic.twitter.com/3a8qE6DhN3
— Cleavon MD 💉 💉 💉 (@Cleavon_MD) December 22, 2020
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