Denied, Dismissed, Diagnosed: Why Culturally Competent Care Matters

I spent sixteen hours in an emergency room in excruciating pain, dismissed repeatedly, and sent home without the care I needed after the attending doctor denied my pain and said a CT scan would not reveal anything.

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My journey began with a stomachache that became unbearable. I sought help at a local urgent care, where I was misdiagnosed and prescribed medication. A few days later, I received a call from the clinic telling me to stop taking the medication…casually, almost indifferently… leaving me horrified and still in pain.

Panicked and desperate for answers, I scrambled to the ER. Hours passed before I was finally assigned a bed. A nurse treated me in a nonchalant way, as if my pain were an inconvenience, and offered Tylenol and administered a narcotic, which only offered temporary relief. When the doctor came in, he dismissed my concerns, repeatedly saying I was fine on Tylenol alone, and that the CT scan I repeatedly requested would reveal nothing.

Under the guidance of a trusted physician friend, I immediately secured a CT scan at another hospital. It revealed a mass. A year later, a rare tumor was diagnosed.

While I cannot assert discrimination outright, my experience reflected patterns the research has documented.

According to the NIH:

• Women’s pain is often underestimated and under-treated

• Black patients are less likely to receive diagnostic imaging in the ER

Earlier this year, the current administration cut diversity, equity, and inclusion funding for the NIH, funding that, in part, supports research and initiatives designed to address inequitable outcomes in healthcare.

(Due to these cuts, I can no longer facilitate Factuality programs for the NIH).

Cultural competence in healthcare is not optional. It is a matter of survival.

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I am now under excellent care with a culturally competent surgeon and team.

Following years of mysterious symptoms that took a turn for the worst last year, this life-threatening tumor will finally be removed by the end of next week.

When I spoke with my surgeon recently, I said, “I can’t wait to see who I get to become on the other side of this.” She said, “you get to become you.”