AMA Takes Steps To Further Distance Itself From Discriminatory Past
A bust of Dr. Nathan Davis, known as the "father of the AMA," was removed from public view at the group's headquarters in Chicago, and his name was removed from an annual award. Davis had actively worked to keep Black physicians out of the organization.
Modern Healthcare:
AMA Removes Founder's Monument Over Past Discriminatory Actions
The American Medical Association has removed a public display of its founder and taken his name off of one of its most prestigious annual awards as the organization seeks to reconcile its past discriminatory practices as part of its efforts to address systemic racism as a public health threat. In an opinion editorial posted to its website on Wednesday, American Medical Association CEO Dr. James Madara called the moving of a bust and display of Dr. Nathan Davis from public view at its Chicago headquarters to its archives a necessary step toward reconciling the AMA's past actions of discrimination. Women and Black doctors were barred from joining its ranks until the 1960s. (Ross Johnson, 2/17)
Capital & Main:
Podcast: Health Care Workers Battle In COVID's Dangerous Trenches
What happens when pandemic fighters are at risk themselves with preexisting medical conditions? (Kreidler, 2/12)
KHN:
‘I Wanted To Go In There And Help’: Nursing Schools See Enrollment Bump Amid Pandemic
Last December, Mirande Gross graduated from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree in communications. But Gross has changed her mind and is heading back to school in May for a one-year accelerated nursing degree program. The pandemic that has sickened more than 27 million people in the United States and killed nearly 500,000 helped convince her she wanted to become a nurse. “I was excited about working during the pandemic,” Gross, 22, said. “It didn’t scare me away.” (Andrews, 2/18)
KHN:
Montana’s Health Policy MVP Takes Her Playbook On The Road
Marilyn Bartlett might be the closest thing health policy has to a folk hero. A certified public accountant who barely tops 5 feet, Bartlett bears zero resemblance to Paul Bunyan. But she did take an ax to Montana’s hospital prices in 2016, stopping the state’s employee health plan from bleeding money. “Marilyn is not a physically imposing person,” said Montana Board of Investments Executive Director Dan Villa, who worked closely with Bartlett in state government. “She is a blend of your favorite aunt, an accounting savant and a little bit of July Fourth fireworks.” (Gorenstein and Walker, 2/18)
