It’s time to stop using skin color and race in medicine and see patients for who they really areMy parents fell in love at a time when their union was illegal in 16 states. advertisementAs a primary care doctor for 20 years, I believe that medicine is overdue for similar update. To realize the promise of 21st century health care, we should take advantage of the wearable digital tools and readily available genetic tests that can allow health care to routinely incorporate unique information about each individual. But the legacy of poverty, lack of access to care, and structural impediments to good health have far more influence on my patients’ health than race or skin color. Megan R. Mahoney is a family medicine physician, chief of staff for Stanford Health Care, principal investigator for Stanford’s Humanwide Project, and clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Source: Ethiopian News August 19, 2020 08:48 UTC