DISMISSED : tackling the biases that undermine our health care

**Facts—women in pain are much more likely than men to receive prescriptions for sedatives rather than pain medication; Black women are more than three times more likely than white women to die of childbirth-related causes. Whether it's age, body size, sexual orientation, or other cultural factors, bias in healthcare is an uncomfortable truth. In this first-ever book on the subject written from the author's unique perspective of being a doctor, a woman, and Black, Dr. Angela Marshall, a contributing health expert on __CNN, Fox5 News__ and __Let's Talk Lives__, and repeatedly named a "Top Doctor" by __Washingtonian__ magazine, candidly addresses the life-and-death issue, sharing personal and patient stories and fresh, pragmatic solutions. Have you ever felt you were treated differently by a medical professional due to your skin color, age, ethnicity, gender, or for any other reason? If so, you are far from alone.** Here's the uncomfortable truth:... Facts—women in pain are much more likely than men to receive prescriptions for sedatives rather than pain medication; Black women are more than three times more likely than white women to die of childbirth-related causes. Whether it's age, body size, sexual orientation, or other cultural factors, bias in healthcare is an uncomfortable truth. In this first-ever book on the subject written from the author's unique perspective of being a doctor, a woman, and Black, Dr. Angela Marshall, a contributing health expert on CNN, Fox5 News and Let's Talk Lives , and repeatedly named a "Top Doctor" by Washingtonian magazine, candidly addresses the life-and-death issue, sharing personal and patient stories and fresh, pragmatic solutions. Have you ever felt you were treated differently by a medical professional due to your skin color, age, ethnicity, gender, or for any other reason? If so, you are far from alone. Here's the uncomfortable truth: Race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, body size, and other cultural factors have a significant bearing on whether you will be diagnosed and treated correctly. Health-care providers and their patients are human, and all humans have unconscious biases that affect how we listen, observe, and act. Bias impacts patients when they are at their most vulnerable. Health-care bias can mean the difference not just between suffering and relief, but between life and death. For the first time, an author with the unique perspective of being one of America's top doctors, a woman, and Black, candidly addresses the issue of bias in health care, sharing personal and patient stories and pragmatic solutions. Dr. Angela Marshall, repeatedly named a "Top Doctor" by Washingtonian magazine, draws on extensive research, poignant stories from some of the thousands of patients she has treated, and her own compelling personal experience, to examine the bias from both patients' and health‐care providers' points of view. She offers a bold blueprint for change, filled with fresh solutions that can help everyone in our health-care system. Dismissed not only explains what so many people feel so profoundly—that the system is working against them. It also reveals what health-care practitioners, patients, and society in general can do to make it right. Here's the uncomfortable Race, gender, sexual orientation, age, body size, income, and other cultural factors have a significant bearing on whether you will be diagnosed and treated correctly. The good news is regardless of whether you are a patient, healthcare provider, or administrator, there are steps you can take today to combat medical bias. The only book on this subject written by a primary care doctor who is a woman of color, DISMISSED examines all forms of bias those related to race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, age, disabilities, obesity, and the increasing bias against science instructing patients, doctors, and administrators alike on how we can all identify bias and how we can all do better. Health-care providers and their patients are human, and all humans have unconscious biases that affect how we listen, observe, and act. Bias impacts patients when they are at their most vulnerable. Health-care bias can mean the difference not just between suffering and relief, but between life and death. For the first time, an author with the unique perspective of being one of Americas top doctors, a woman, and Black, candidly addresses the issue of bias in health care, sharing personal and patient stories and pragmatic solutions. Dr. Angela Marshall, repeatedly named a Top Doctor by Washingtonian magazine, draws on extensive research, poignant stories from some of the thousands of patients she has treated, and her own compelling personal experience, to examine the bias from both patients and healthcare providers points of view. She offers a bold blueprint for change, filled with fresh solutions that can help everyone in our health-care system. Dismissed not only explains what so many people feel so profoundlythat the system is working against them. It also reveals what health-care practitioners, patients, and society in general can do to make it right. A primary care doctor examines the ways that such factors as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and income have a negative impact on medical outcomes and offers solutions for overcoming systemic medical bias