Fighting the injustice of health disparities: Honoring the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & Dr. John M. Eisenberg

For the past several years I have run this post and just as it was those years, it is this year a very important message. We, as a nation, have made progress and I believe Dr. King would be proud. But our work is far from complete – particularly where health care is concerned. Another doctor, Dr. John M. Eisenberg, a physician of tremendous stature whose life was also tragically cut short (not by an assassin’s bullet but by brain cancer) was equally passionate about the dignity of life and justice for all Americans. Dr. Eisenberg, who among other things, served as the Director of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (as AHRQ was known back in the day), cared deeply about access to and the integrity of health care for all Americans – regardless of skin color. Seventeen years ago, on January 14, 2000, Dr. Eisenberg gave what is, in my opinion, a brilliant speech to the employees of the Department of Health and Human Services. As with the past years I want to share his words with all of you today — as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go. BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: REMEMBER! CELEBRATE! ACT! A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF! When I was invited to welcome you to the Department of Health and Human Service’s 26th observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, my first thought was about how honored I was to be asked. My second thought was about what Martin Luther King’s birth could mean to a rebirth of health ca...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Advocacy Choice Source Type: blogs