URMC Hospital Ethics Committee Says Special Treatment For Wealthy People Needs To End

Fair and equal treatment in health care for Black people when we go to the hospital is all we ask.

In case you didn’t know health care is not equal for black and brown people across the country. But right here in our own backyard, we see it more often than not.

Prime example the situation at URMC where people who are wealthy and their biggest financial donors were sent an email offering them first dibs on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Because of that incident, Strong Memorial Hospital Ethics Committee says programs like “Special Patient Relations” must end. These programs give exclusive and comprehensive treatment to patients who are wealthy.

On February 2nd a letter was sent to URMC President from ethics committee members.

According to WXXI part of that letter reads: “Programs, such as Special Patient Relations, perpetuate a two-tiered health system where those who are wealthy, and predominately white, enjoy unfettered access to health care while across the city and the region, countless others struggle to find access to the most basic levels of care. This type of preferential treatment also demonstrates a callous indifference to the larger social reckoning around issues of racial justice that define this cultural moment. These programs represent the worst of who we have been, not who we claim to want to be.”

To read the full story and full letter click WXXI.