The Coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on racial inequity within the health care system. In Michigan, Black people are four times more likely to be infected with Covid-19 than white people.
Despite having just 14-percent of the population, Black people make up 40-percent of the total Coronavirus infections in Michigan. Because of this, the pandemic has drawn attention to the racial inequity built into our health care system.
Speaking at a news conference this morning (THU) Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced changes in training for medical professionals to combat some of these inequities.
“I’ve asked our medical partners and universities to incorporate implicit bias training into their curriculum. So that as people of color seek health care they’ll be treated with equal dignity and respect – which will equal better outcomes,” said Whitmer.
Whitmer’s executive order also directs a state regulatory agency to develop rules requiring doctors and nurses receive implicit bias training when renewing their license.