STATEMENT ON RACISM, VIOLENCE, AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The following statement is from the 340B Health President and CEO, Maureen Testoni, and the 340B Health Board Chair, Sherrie Dixon Williams, MD, MHS:
“We join others in the health care community in expressing our profound sadness at the recent senseless killings of black men and women that have brought heightened public attention to the institutional racism that plagues this nation. We recognize that unequal treatment of people of color constitutes a pervasive public health problem with tragic consequences that extend beyond the victims of violence. Widespread racial, ethnic, and cultural disparities in health care result in worsened patient health outcomes and preventable deaths.”
“340B Health commits to taking an active role in working toward a solution to this nationwide crisis. 340B hospitals treat a larger percentage of black patients and members of other communities who have suffered and continue to suffer from health care disparities. These hospitals share a mission to provide all patients with the high-quality, dignified health care they need and deserve, regardless of race, ethnicity, or life circumstances. We cannot claim success until we eliminate the inequality that stands in the way of achieving that calling.”
Contact: Richard Sorian at richard.sorian@340bhealth.org or 202-536-2285.