The opposite of equal
By Angelina Wyatt-Jolly
Webster’s Dictionary defines healthcare as “efforts made to maintain or restore physical, mental, or emotional well-being, especially by trained and licensed professionals.” I expected it to be much more complicated based on the current state of affairs. Further, it defines “equal” as “sameness or equivalence in number, quantity, or measure”; however, healthcare equity is not so simple for Milwaukee County, where I work. In fact, it’s the opposite of equal because, for many years, the disparity in the healthcare system has been tragically unbalanced.
As a Black nurse in Milwaukee, I’ve had a front-row seat to this incredible gap in humanity.
According to Healthy People 2020, health equity is “achieving the highest level of health for all people.” How does this play out in Milwaukee County? Well, I’ve seen how the difference in private vs. public funding has influenced patient care plans and treatment outcomes. In this community, I’ve seen culturally incompetent healthcare providers care for patients. I’ve seen how access to care and a lack of services have harmed the continuity of care. I’ve also seen the stigma of the mental health crisis firsthand. I’ve seen a breakdown in relationship building among government agencies and public/private entities that vowed to work together to make a difference.
This has been rationalized by the people in authority who say, “Of course, people who can afford better healthcare deserve it.”
I doubt any of those people ever have had to witness patients being turned away, or the people trying to protect them being ill-equipped to do so.
In February 2020, the country was overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 claimed the lives of approximately 947,000 Americans. In the beginning, many healthcare workers, including myself, sat in multiple meetings and were assured that we would have the knowledge and the equipment to deal with this pandemic. Nonetheless, day after day passed with insufficient personal protective equipment, insufficient resources, inconsistent information and unsafe staffing.
After that experience, we ask ourselves how we can create an equitable healthcare system. What can we do to effect change in a community that has historically faced greater health challenges? As we continue to work toward health equity in Milwaukee County, we have to remember that we must be the change we seek.
In addition, we must hold our elected officials accountable for the community they committed to serving. We must develop programs, training and educational resources to empower ourselves, our communities and, most importantly, our youth to become the resources that we lack. To achieve better patient outcomes, we must cultivate a generation of like-minded and culturally competent providers. We must invest in our community’s health by providing access to healthcare, affordable insurance, nutritious foods, housing, education and sustainable income. Only when we mobilize societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities will we be able to move forward in the fight for health equity.
Angelina Wyatt-Jolly is a registered nurse and a member of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.
