“Are you Salvage Worthy?” An Example of Bias in Healthcare

I don't think it's a secret that there is bias in healthcare. I also don't think it's a secret that women are often on the receiving end of this bias...especially when it comes to menopause. Here is one example of bias in healthcare.

A client recently told me the story of going to see a practitioner who said to her, “I don’t know if I can help you yet. First I have to see if you are salvage worthy.”

I was floored. Shocked. I thought I had heard it all. I have heard a LOT of stories in 21 years of practice. This one dropped my jaw.

A patient goes to see a practitioner for healing and comes home with more trauma. Agism, sexism & racism can show up in the treatment room at a time when someone is feeling vulnerable.

Navigating today’s medical world can be so challenging at the best of times.

People who are marginalized... elders, menopausal women, women whose symptoms don’t fit into a box. Or there may be bias or judgement around body weight, race, age, sex.

I see this story from two lenses.

One, as practitioner. We must remember that our words carry power to heal or to hurt. The decision about whether or not a patient can heal or not is not ours to make.

Two, as a patient myself. It is important to remember to advocate for ourselves. To not give away our power to make decisions for ourselves. We each are the experts about our own internal experience and history.

We can choose who we see for medical care. When talking to a medical provider, it is important to voice concerns, to pay attention to our inner dialogue and to have courage to say what we need to say.

When it comes to healing, there is always something we can do.

One thing I have learned in my life and my practice, no matter how small the act, if it moves us toward positive change then it matters.

A small action can have a large reaction. We can support the MIND with hobbies, sleep, intellectual stimulation and positive social interactions. We can support the SPIRIT with prayer, meditation and time in nature. We can support the BODY with water, healthy food, movement and sleep.

We are all salvage worthy. We matter. We are all worth time and effort from ourselves and from our health care professionals. Small or large, any change towards health is a good place to start.