Diagnostic Equity and Its Importance in Patient Care
Why is diagnostic equity important for patients? Respected medical laboratory scientist Dr. Brandy Gunsolus shares her perspective.
Interviewer: What is diagnostic equity, and why is it important?
Dr. Brandy Gunsolus: Diagnostic equity is ensuring that everyone from every background, regardless of what your background is and what your presentation is, everyone is treated and diagnosed the same without any inherent bias or unintentional bias that may be present. It's really important because unfortunately people do have inherent biases. Even physicians, even though they shouldn't, they do and they're, many times, they're often not even aware that they have this bias. Diagnostic equity is trying to bring awareness to these biases, ensuring that everyone is treated the same and is given the same attention and same detail as in part of the diagnostic process.
This information is not a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional.