Reflections From a Country Girl

It appears that doctors and other medical professionals and institutions all over our country are turning down treatment of women based on their own moral values. A recent article written by Sabrina Rubin Erdely for MSNBC entitled “Doctors’ Beliefs can Hinder Patient’s Care” confirmed that many women are refused treatment based on religious or social beliefs of their medical professionals.

Arnold Schwarzenegger said in the 1991 movie Terminator 2: Judgement Day “Hasta la vista, Baby.” That is what many United States medical professionals are doing as they refuse treatment to women in crisis. They are passing judgment on them and sending them on their way without treatment – essentially judging them when they need medical support the most.

I don’t know how you feel about this but, as a woman, it concerns me…not just for me but for women I deal with from time to time when they find themselves in a crisis.

Now I trust my doctor and have a great relationship with him. As a single woman, I have never had to ask him to give me birth control pills, a morning after pill, support my wish to adopt a baby, or to help me think about taking care of an unwanted pregnancy through abortion. If I did, I would expect him to talk with me professionally about options and help me make a choice that was right for me…not decide for me based on his religious beliefs and insist I believe the same or he wouldn’t provide me the medical support I needed.

If you read Sabrina’s article, you will find that refusal of treatment is the case with way too many women all over the country. She gives specifics, and breaks issues down by States as to which legislative body supports medical professionals inflicting their own religious beliefs or those of the hospital’s on patients. Click here for the complete article http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19190916 .

I do, however, refer people to my doctor…and I intend, the next time I see him, to ask what he does with these situations so I am prepared should I need to refer someone to a doctor in the future.

My wish for you today is that you talk with your doctor AND your legislator to make sure you know where they stand on these issues. Tell them how you feel about it. I hope you and/or your loved one never has to ask for this kind of medical attention. However, if you do, you should be aware of where your medical professional stands on treatments before you find yourself or your loved ones in a crisis.

~ Joellen

This entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2007 at 4:02:am and is filed under Life & Events, Living Life to the Fullest, Safety, Teens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.