What can internists do to help?
Dr. Candler said internal medicine physicians can do their part by collecting data on patients and staff and measuring outcomes to identify disparities. Additionally, they could run their practices with community and cultural needs in mind, she said.
“Some of that might mean hiring differently. Think about it – if you’re in a position to start building new practices, go where they need you,” Dr. Candler explained. “It might mean a little bit more of a commute for you. But your patients are already doing that with their untreated cataracts, so who’s safer on the roads?”
George Abraham, MD, MPH – president of ACP and professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts , Boston, who did not present in the session – suggested physicians should be looking at their own practice style, location, and the way their practice runs, and see where there are opportunities to be more in touch.
“I’m sure we all have practices where we have a diverse patient population,” he said. What doctors can do is to specifically focus on their minority population and ask: ‘What do they experience that others don’t experience as my patient coming into my office?’ he said.
Dr. Abraham, who received his medical degree in India and is ACP’s first president who is an international medical graduate, pointed to ACP’s emphasis on diversifying the internal medicine workforce to reflect the communities.
Recent measures have included the creation of an ACP international medical graduate task force and establishing an antiharassment policy and reporting process.
“The conversation has started a lot more,” he said.
Dr. Candler reports financial relationships with Abbott, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Medtronic, Pfizer, and other companies. She is also a member of the editorial advisory board of Internal Medicine News. Dr. Fox reports financial relationships with Obagi Cosmeceuticals. Dr. Liao reports financial relationships with Eli Lilly, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, and other companies. Dr. Abraham reports no relevant financial relationships.