Health care pros: Grady broke its promise

Health care advocates met in Atlanta today to address the widening health care disparities in minority populations. Of particular concern to some – how politics have shaped the allocation of medical services at one high profile hospital.

According to Dr. George Rust, the ratio of poor African Americans unable to access adequate and affordable health care has remained unchanged for nearly half a century. Rust directs the National Center for Primary Care at the Morehouse School of Medicine. All Morehouse medical students are required to do some clinical work at nearby Grady Memorial Hospital. But, Rust says Grady isn't delivering on its promise made in the 1890s. Namely, to serve the poor.

"We segregate health care for the poor and then we under fund it. We say we're going to create a separate system of care for the uninsured and then we're not going to adequately fund it. And what we're seeing is that when deliver care separately you get separate health outcomes and worse health outcomes."

Today it’s estimated that annually so-called segregated health care means 83,000 African Americans die at earlier ages of treatable and preventable diseases. Most experts agree lifestyle choices may be the root causes of treatable diseases like diabetes and obesity. But add, the lack of culturally sensitive medical personnel unfairly burdens some minority communities.