A new bill awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature could mark a significant change in how California handles discrimination in health care. Assembly Bill 3161 proposes that the state Department of Public Health begin tracking self-reported patient demographics related to complaints at hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Shaleta Smith from Corona shared her personal experience with alleged bias in health care. In 2007, after giving birth at an Orange County hospital, Smith suffered a severe hemorrhage. She recalls that an emergency room doctor wanted to discharge her despite her critical condition. “The doctor told the nurse, ‘We need her out of here. I want to discharge her.’ The nurse told me, ‘I’m scared for you,’ and I said ‘I’m scared for myself,'” Smith said. She believes that if she had been sent home, she would have bled to death.
The proposed bill also includes provisions requiring hospitals to detail how they will address racism and discrimination in their patient safety plans. These plans must outline procedures for staff to report instances of racial bias anonymously.
Raena Granberry, director of maternal and reproductive health at the California Black Women’s Health Project, has encountered numerous reports of patients feeling ignored or their pain dismissed. She recalls a father who begged doctors for hours to intervene as his partner bled to death. Granberry notes, “It is a pain that ripples through the community. It’s crippling to our collective well-being to continue to experience these types of things.”
Hospitals assert that they provide equal care to all patients, regardless of race. However, Onyemma Obiekea, policy director for the Black Women for Wellness Action Project, argues that the new data will reveal a different reality. “It’s crucial for patient safety plans to address how biases affect the quality of care for patients of color,” Obiekea said. “Understanding these disparities is essential for improving patient safety.”
