August 12th 2024.
In the past, Black hospitals were thriving centers of the community. They provided much-needed healthcare services to Black patients during the time of segregation. However, since the integration of hospitals under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, these hospitals have been in a state of disrepair. Sadly, there are now very few of them left, and they are struggling to stay open.
One such hospital is the Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. Founded in 1942, it was a prominent institution in the area. However, today it sits empty and its future is uncertain. Despite a $3 million renovation a decade ago, the hospital closed once again due to ownership disputes. This has left the building to deteriorate, much to the dismay of Myrna Smith-Thompson, whose grandfather helped establish the hospital.
For Smith-Thompson, the Taborian Hospital holds a special place in her heart. She was born there in 1949 and now serves as the executive director of the civic group that owns the property. She told NPR, "This is a very painful conversation. It's a part of my being." However, she acknowledges that reopening the hospital would require millions in funding, a situation that is mirrored in other Black hospitals across the country.
According to reports from VPM, Virginia's NPR affiliate, there were once over 150 Black hospitals in the United States. But with the passage of civil rights legislation, many of them slowly phased out of commission. Today, the few remaining ones are struggling with limited resources. Cassandra Newby-Alexander, a professor of Virginia Black history, explains that these hospitals were initially established as a way to combat the racism prevalent in the American hospital system.
Newby-Alexander says, "Once you started to see the birth of these Black hospitals, which numbered, I believe, over 150 in the country at one point, that's when they became competitors with white hospitals. And so, you will start to see a lot of white hospitals relegate Black patients in the attic, in the basement. And so, these Black hospitals were a very humane and respectable alternative to the very discriminatory way that African Americans were treated in the majority [of] hospitals."
But the struggle for Black hospitals continues, with one prime example being the original Richmond Community Hospital. According to Axios, its future is now in doubt as Virginia Union University plans to develop up to 200 market-rate housing units on the land the hospital currently sits on. This has caused concern among Richmond residents who fear the demolition of the hospital.
Gary L. Flowers, a fifth-generation Richmond native, believes that any plan that leads to the demolition of the hospital is not honoring its history. In an interview with the Richmond Free Press, he says, "If the building is demolished, there is no suitable memorialization of where it once stood. The building doesn't take up a large footprint. It could be preserved and housing built around it - a historical oasis in the Sankofa sense."
As Bizu Gelaye, an epidemiologist and program director at Harvard University's Mississippi Delta Partnership in Public Health, points out, the closure of Black hospitals has had a significant impact on the communities they served. She says, "It has ripple effects in a way that affect the fabric of the community."
A 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine sheds light on the financial struggles faced by hospitals that primarily serve Black patients. The study's authors argue that there is a need for reform in hospital financing to address these disparities. They write, "U.S. hospital financing effectively assigns a lower dollar value to the care of Black patients. To reduce disparities in care, health financing reforms should eliminate the underpayment of hospitals serving a large share of Black patients."
The study also highlights the longstanding disparities in funding for Black hospitals, which have resulted in a lack of resources and facilities. This has made it difficult for these hospitals to offer lucrative services, such as cardiac catheterization labs, which are essential for providing quality care. Ultimately, the study concludes that there is a need for significant changes in hospital financing to address these issues.
In conclusion, the struggles faced by Black hospitals have had a significant impact on the communities they once served. Despite being vital institutions in providing healthcare to Black patients, these hospitals have been faced with numerous challenges, including lack of funding and resources. It is time for a change in the way these hospitals are financed and supported, to ensure that they can continue to serve their communities and honor their legacies.
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