By Edward Henderson
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — The California Black Health Network has launched a campaign to educate Black Californians on how to effectively navigate the health care system.
The “Health 4 Life: Healthy Black People Campaign” aims to provide information and resources while providing tips and advocating people undergoing medical treatment.
In addition, the campaign advises Black patients on how to respond when faced with discrimination.
“We are working to ignite a Black health movement here in California and create a more empowered community of individuals and patients to become proactive about their overall health and well-being, focus more on prevention, and take ownership of their health and healthcare,” said Rhonda Smith, executive director of the California Black Health Network. “We need to know that there is such a thing as a patient bill of rights, and we need to know how we can exercise our rights as a patient to get the health care we deserve and to make the health care system work better for us and be responsive to our needs.”
On July 18, CBHN launched a five-part webinar series titled “Making the Health Care System Work Better for You,” to help the African-American communities in the state understand how to make more informed health care decisions and how to make the health care system work better for them.
The series featured speaker is Dr. Glenda F. Newell-Harris, an Oakland-based physician, author, speaker and patient advocate.
Newell-Harris has been at the forefront of addressing health disparities and championing equal access to high-quality health care for all. Her passion, she says, even prompted her to write a book on the subject along with a colleague, Dr. Brenda Springs.
“It’s very important that you need to understand you have rights as a patient,” Newell-Harris said. “You may feel when you are in a medical situation that you’re at the mercy of everybody that is there. But even in that process, you do have rights.
“Patients of color are often the ones who are disenfranchised.”
An example of some ‘How do I’ questions the campaign answers are how do I take action to protect my health? How do I find the right health care provider for me? How do I know what my plan covers? How do I prepare for my visits? How do I speak up for my and my family’s health?
Through the Campaign, the California Black Health Network is working to create a more empowered community of individuals who are proactive about their overall health and well-being, focus more on prevention, and take ownership of their health and health care. To accomplish this, one part of the campaign is focused on health education.
The first webinar focused on patient rights. Newell-Harris delivered a presentation that highlighted patient rights surrounding information, disclosure, insurance coverage, choice of providers, emergency services, treatment decisions, respect and non-discrimination and patient responsibilities.
“From a standpoint of goals and objectives, patient rights were created to build trust and confidence within the health care system, to strengthen the bond between you and your health care provider, and also to empower you to take charge of your health,” Newell-Harris said.
While patient rights are not legally enforceable, they present a guideline as individuals travel along their medical journeys, so people feel empowered as to when and where to ask the right questions. For example, Newell-Harris stressed the importance of the patient’s right to ask about how many times a doctor has performed a certain procedure, the health record of a hospital and the right to report concerns or issues with the care you received.
In terms of respect and discrimination, Newell-Haris emphasized the importance of cultivating a relationship with your primary care doctor that is rooted in respect.
“We must demand respect in our visits,” she said. “If you’re in a medical encounter and you don’t feel like you’re being respected, you don’t hear what the doctor says to you, you don’t listen, and you defiantly will have questions if you are going to follow his or her instructions. If you don’t feel like you’re respected, there are a lot of things you can do with your primary care relationship.”
Lastly, Newell-Harris spoke about the responsibility that individual patients have in the health care relationship. She stressed the importance of understanding your insurance plan and deductibles, the health needs of your family, keeping appointments, and being honest with your doctor about taking medications.
“Keep in mind that this is a partnership,” Newell-Harris said. “There are some things your doctor needs to do, and there are some things that you need to do as well.
“Will you have hiccups along the way? For sure. But hopefully they will happen with you being wide open to the knowledge, you’ve had clear communications, you have been part of the decision making and you feel like you are in this as a partnership with your doctor.”
The remaining webinar schedule is as follows:
• Aug. 8 – Part 2: How to Communicate with Your Healthcare Provider.
• Sept. 19 – Part 3: How to Navigate Through the Health Care System.
• Oct. 24 – Part 4: How to Advocate for Yourself and Your Loved Ones.
ª And Nov. 21 – Part 5: How to Participate in the Decision Making for Your Care.
For more information and to register, visit cablackhealthnetwork.org/events.
Edward Henderson is a reporter for California Black Media.
