A new report suggests discrimination in medical settings affects the quality of care for many Ohioans.

In a survey of more than 800 people, discrimination was not a rare experience, and for women and people of color; it was common.

In the survey, Black women reported feeling "less respected" twice as often as white men, and Black men were four times more likely to report being harassed in a health-care setting.

Greg Braylock, Jr., vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for ProMedica, a health-care system based in northwest Ohio, said he isn't surprised by the findings.

"We've known in health care for decades that we've had disparities in how people experience health care, the outcomes that they have," Braylock observed. "But we have failed as an industry to sufficiently address these negative differences in outcomes that we see."

Some 22% of those surveyed said they have accepted discrimination in medical settings as "a way of life," but 24% said they did not return for future appointments, which may mean delaying or avoiding needed care. Just 15% of people who said they felt discriminated against went on to file a complaint.

The report noted many hospital systems have equity training, but few have anti-racism initiatives.

Dawn Pullin, director of behavioral health and addictions for the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition, contended such efforts only scratch the surface of the problem.

"That training that we've done over the last 20-30 years has brought us to this place where this survey is still necessary, where health is still a crisis," Pullin asserted. "Where Black and African American people are dying daily because of the lack of services, and their skepticism about engaging the hospital setting."

Pierette Talley, executive director of the Ohio Unity Coalition, believes hospitals and other health-care institutions have made a good start toward addressing racism. But she said they need to dig deeper than community forums, health fairs and government-required anti-discrimination measures.

"They must be in touch with the community that they serve and work together to figure out what are the issues and how they can best be addressed," Talley urged. "So that we are rooting out racism at an institutional level and not just looking at some bad actors."

The report was released by the Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competency, the Ohio Unity Coalition, the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition, and the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio.

A new report finds thousands of low-income or uninsured people in Illinois face medical debt that is depleting their savings and, in some cases, affecting their health.

The report, from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, described situations where patients racked up big bills because they didn't know that hospitals or community agencies could offer financial assistance. House Bill 2719 was filed this week to require all Illinois hospitals to screen uninsured patients and inform them of their options for paying medical bills.

Luvia Quinones, senior director of health policy at the coalition, said many low-income and working-class people are unnecessarily losing sleep - and cash.

"Many of these individuals are actually eligible for something, whether it be some type of health coverage program or for hospital financial assistance," she said, "and unfortunately, many of them are not made aware of either of these services or programs."

The Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services reported in 2021 that more than 900,000 people in the state were uninsured. It said one-third of them qualify for coverage under Medicaid or through the Insurance Marketplace, while others are eligible for hospital financial programs or charity care.

Most Democrats in the General Assembly support the bill, but Republicans have not publicly staked out a position. The measure is pending before the Health Care Availability and Accessibility Committee. Quinones said the bill's goal is ultimately to prevent excessive medical debt.

"By hospitals screening these individuals, you could prevent them both ending up in medical debt," she said, "and it could also help the hospitals to be able to get reimbursed for some of the services."