Have We Lost Our Profession?

“The baby was delivered via C. Section, without his head that was delivered from the vagina.” Wait a minute. What did he just say? That was my response to the press conference televised on TV from Georgia. And when the attorney announced the physician’s name for the world to hear, I almost dropped to the floor from shock.

The news of Jessie Ross’s horrendous delivery sent shockwaves throughout the medical community and set social media on fire. Black ob-gyn physicians like me groaned in despair when we realized she was Black.

It could have happened to any one of us. The physician had practiced in that community for at least ten years, if not longer. The community had a median income of $49,000 per year. 76% of its population was African American.

I contacted the hospital to determine why they weren’t in crisis mode and explained what happened. They hid behind the veil of HIPAA, citing “ongoing investigation.” I asked for their press release regarding the incident. The Communications Director and Business Development told me she would email it, but she never did.

I eventually read it online and couldn’t get beyond the words, “She is not a hospital employee.” They threw the physician under the bus.

Although I didn’t know the physician, I didn’t appreciate the bullying and death threats, so I attempted to help. Wrong move. Here came the trolls and everyone else. I was asked to back off, so I did.

This case was ugly on many fronts and made me realize how broken our healthcare system is.

I’m worried. Really Worried.