TriHealth Bridge

February 07, 2022

For communities across the globe, the pandemic placed a spotlight on the impact of social determinants on a person's health and their access to healthcare, especially for people of color. At TriHealth, health disparities and population health have been key elements of our strategic plan for years. 
 
Both the impact of healthcare on African Americans and the impact made by African Americans in healthcare can be traced back to the creation of America. We continue to work to eradicate the health disparities facing underserved communities. Still, it's also time to celebrate the accomplishments of the past and present African American healthcare pioneers and their accomplishments.
 
African American Contributions to Healthcare Through the Ages
  • It was a slave who brought the science of vaccines to the colonies in the early 1700s. A man named Onesimus shared the scientific knowledge of inoculation, brought from his home in Africa, with his slave master, Cotton Mather. Mather used the practices to protect Boston from an outbreak of smallpox.
  • The 1963 Simkins v. Moses H. Cone Hospital court case aided in ending segregation in federally-funded hospitals. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin for any agency, including hospitals.
  • In 1881, the first school of record for black nurses was established at Spellman College.
  • Despite much progress, in 2019, only 2.6% of the nation's doctors identified as Black or African American. In 2020, only 7.3% of students enrolled in a medical school identified as Black or African American.
African American Contributions at TriHealth
TriHealth is fortunate to have the expertise of many extraordinary physicians, clinicians and leaders. This month we would like to spotlight some of our African American physicians and nurse leaders who are making major contributions to TriHealth: 
 
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