You probably already knew that a Caucasian in Colorado has a life expectancy of almost 80 years. But did you know that an American Indian’s life expectancy is 45 years? This article from the Colorado Health Foundation, written by Sandy Graham, is a must-read for anyone interested in healthcare for minorities, specifically American Indians. The article focuses on the work that Marguerite Salazar is doing as Region VIII director of HHS, based in Denver (In addition to Colorado, Region VIII encompasses UT, WY, MT, SD and ND). Prior to working with HHS, Salazar was President and CEO of Valley-Wide Health Systems, a rural community-based healthcare program that served 40,000 people in Southern Colorado, including many migrant farm workers.
I particularly liked the focus on “culturally competent” healthcare – a concept that can be vital for the health of any minority group that doesn’t have the same heritage and traditions as the majority of healthcare providers in an area. And I liked this description from the article of work that Salazar did at Valley-Wide:
“…she [Salazar] and her staff had to explain to non-Hispanic providers that, yes, this person could not afford care, but had a cell phone – because he had to be able to hear from the field boss when agricultural work was available. And yes, the family drove a new truck – because they needed dependable transportation to get to the next farm job and that was most likely all they owned.”
It’s a perfect anecdote for anyone who has ever been frustrated by the internet meme describing how a patient in the ER has a cell phone (with a fancy ring tone!) and various other bling – and is on Medicaid. It seems to be circulated in an effort to show righteous indignation towards people who would dare to have anything more than a cardboard box and a blanket if they’re using “entitlements” to pay for things like food or healthcare. Salazar’s understanding of the healthcare needs of low-income families and cultural minorities comes[…]