Justice and Equity in Medicine

As many people in our community know, I have multiple health challenges. Just to be clear for those who don’t without revealing too much, I have several serious physical and mental health concerns. Some are not so serious, a couple could be life-threatening if not taken care of. I am so grateful that I have healthcare coverage afforded to me through disability programs. Otherwise I would have gone bankrupt many years ago. It is apparent to me that I need to expound on this aspect of justice and equity in medicine- the cost of it, and then tell more of my story and perspective on my treatment journey in other segments this month. So more to come! 

I am acutely aware that the United States pays more for healthcare than most of the world. How did it get this way? More importantly, how can we change this system to make it more equitable and just for everyone? There are more questions than answers for me, but perhaps these questions will hopefully prompt us to take a deeper look into how this impacts people in the US and around the world. I am slightly educated on this, but would love to dive deeper into this myself. Why are things here so expensive? What alternatives do we have to make this system more equitable, just and enhance quality of care? How can we care for each other, as well as for the doctors, nurses, social workers, medical assistants, and therapists of all kinds who assist us with our daily living and care every day? For me, gratitude is part of my story. However, so many people fall through the many cracks in our system. I hope that this encourages you to consider how you can contribute to the conversation. It’s going to take time, but I think with all our voices we can effect change! 

~Jen Garrison