“This is how black people get killed, when you send them home and they don't know how to fight for themselves. I had to talk to somebody, maybe the media; somebody. To let people know how I'm being treated up in this place.”
These were the words uttered by Dr. Susan Moore, a black physician, who graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. Doctor Moore passed away on Sunday, December 20th from the Covid-19 virus. She died a few weeks after being sent home by Indiana University Health, where she was being treated. While In pain and justifiably frustrated Dr. Moore in her hospital bed posted a video on her Facebook page detailing the treatment she was receiving from her Nurse and the attending physician Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec.
Dr.Moore stated how the White doctor treating her “made me feel like I was a drug addict” he refused to prescribe her any more narcotics when she complained of pain. He was completely aware she was a fellow physician, and still felt that her cries of pain and feelings of mistreatment were unfounded and down right false. Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec refused her further doses of remdesivir and threatened not only to send her home but do so on a weekend late in the evening. He dismissed her and belittled her Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec proved he had no care for her and clearly put the smallest of effort towards her treatment.
The attending Nurse as quoted by Dr. Moore stated “I was marching in Black Lives Matter” as a way to gaslight her and convince her they were her friend and not the enemy. Despite that Dr. Moore received nothing that resembled the kind of care Indiana University Health promises and the kind of care a patient at any healthcare facility should receive.
Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec has many shocking reviews amde about him over the years and the one that sticks out the most in one that is dated December 13th 2019 nearly a year before the death of Dr. Moore titled “Rude, opinionated, and condescending”
“Was this man's patient for 4 years, until he told me that my numbers in my blood work looked like something he would see from an alcoholic on a Saturday night in the ER. I do not drink alcohol, and haven't for many years because of my medical condition, and the medication I have to take. He refused to believe me, or refer me to anyone else. I tried to explain that trust is a two way street between a doctor and patient. I trust him to take the best possible care of me, and the only way that is possible is if he trusts me to tell the truth. My care depends on my being honest. He laughed. I immediately found a new doctor, and discovered that my medication levels were toxic, and had caused permanent liver and kidney damage. I may require dialysis at some point, because this man refused to listen, or do the necessary blood work. If you value your life, go elsewhere for your medical care! He does not listen, does not care, and allows no disagreement. He seemed very threatened by an informed, intelligent patient.”
How is it after many reviews that reflect this one from vitals.com has he been allowed to practice for so long? How many lives has he affected from his horrible practices and lack of care and compassion for others?
In a world plagued by a pandemic we must remember the groups that suffer the most even when these trying times do not exist for the world population. Black and Brown people in this country are more likely than Whites to be infected, and more likely to die from Covid-19, health professionals and the world alike are aware of this but the lack of urgency that Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec portrayed the lack of empathy he had and the lack of professionalism he possessed and the amount of racism he holds in his heart.
A study was done and found that many physicians believe the Black population have thicker skin, experience less pain, and have blood that clots more quickly than whites. This is one of the many false facts that about half of white medical students and first-year residents believed in a 2016 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences. "About 50 percent reported that at least one of the false belief items was possibly, probably, or definitely true," the report said. In a 2007 study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers studied the responses of 287 emergency medicine residents at four medical centers in Atlanta and Boston. The study found that Black people who rush to a hospital's emergency room with a chief complaint of chest pain, or, even worse, a heart attack in progress, may be met with skepticism (MSN).
Denying Black pain, the dismal of Black maternal and infant mortality rates, and very few BIPOC in hospital C-suites. This and so much more are the realities of BIPOC treatment in healthcare and because of this racism the world has once again lost another soul taken too soon. Dr. Moore was dismissed and denied proper treatment for pain and as stated by her in the now viral video, she had to advocate for her own care. The devastating toll this has on the Black community cannot be measured in any way, the physical and emotional stress this creates; the reality that even when ill we can still be killed by people trained to heal shows that for us a Doctor can easily be someone who holds a license to kill. The racism and deep hatred that runs deep in healthcare has taken another soul and this should not be allowed no more!
A statement was released by the President and Chief Executive Officer of Indiana University Health Dennis M. Murphy and the statement within itself is outrageous! In it he states “After our preliminary medical quality review, I am fully confident in our medical team and their expertise to treat complex medical cases. I do not believe that we failed the technical aspects of the delivery of Dr. Moore’s care. I am concerned, however, that we may not have shown the level of compassion and respect we strive for in understanding what matters most to patients. I am worried that our care team did not have the time due to the burden of this pandemic to hear and understand patient concerns and questions”. Well then I ask you Dennis M. Murphy when will the care time have time to hear of a patient's concerns? After their death? Before they are ill? When will that time be carved out for Dr. Moore?
In Mr. Murphy in statement there is another area for concern “And the perspective of a nursing team trying to manage a set of critically ill patients in need of care who may have been intimidated by a knowledgeable patient who was using social media to voice her concerns and critique the care they were delivering. All of these”. I think i can speak for anyone Mr. Murphy that if a staff member is intimidated by a Doctor who is trying to ensure they are receiving the care they deserve they should not be on staff, downplaying her cries for help and compassion as intimidation is downright disgusting and you should be ashamed!
Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec and Indiana University Health we hold you responsible! We demand an investigation by the Medical Licensing board of Indiana into Dr. Moore care team which includes Dr. Eric Andrew Bannec. We as well call on the Indiana Governor and the Indiana Attorney general to take action! We also demand that the board the president of Indiana health states he shall be putting together consists of that of Dr. Moore Peers, specifically BIPOC women only! The world is watching and we will not allow you to move past this, we shall remind you everyday of your errors and we will ensure justice for Dr. Moore and every BIPOC patient that may have fallen by your hands, for if there was one there are many!
