Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
N.M. Hospital Implemented Secretive Policy To Target Native American Mothers For COVID Testing
ProPublica/New Mexico In Depth: A Hospital’s Secret Coronavirus Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns
A prominent women’s hospital here has separated some Native American women from their newly born babies, the result of a practice designed to stop the spread of COVID-19 that clinicians and health care ethicists described as racial profiling. Lovelace Women’s Hospital in Albuquerque implemented a secretive policy in recent months to conduct special coronavirus screenings for pregnant women, based on whether they appeared to be Native American, even if they had no symptoms or were otherwise at low risk for the disease, according to clinicians. (Furlow, 6/13)
ProPublica/New Mexico In Depth: State Investigating Hospital With Coronavirus Policy That Profiled Pregnant Native American Mothers And Separated Them From Newborns
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Twitter Saturday that state officials would investigate allegations of racial profiling of pregnant Native American women at a top hospital in Albuquerque. Lujan Grisham was reacting to a story published Saturday by New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica revealing that Lovelace Women’s Hospital had a secret policy for screening Native American women for coronavirus based on their appearance and home ZIP code, according to several clinicians who work there. (Furlow, 6/14)
In other news on hospitals —
New Orleans Times-Picayune: 'My Deepest Fear': What Happens If Hospitals, State Face Dual Threat Of Hurricanes And Coronavirus?
A busy storm season is a worry for Louisiana hospitals and other health care providers every year. But the ongoing pandemic has made preparations even more critical. Providers and the state health department are sizing up the risks and rethinking emergency response tactics. Some hospitals are stocking up on personal protective equipment and other supplies. Others are changing how they’ll manage non-essential staff and patients’ families. (Woodruff, 6/12)
