Anti-Semitism received mainstream attention this month, when numerous brands terminated their relationship with Ye (formerly Kanye West) for his blatantly anti-Semitic comments. Social media influencers of most political stripes also defended the Jewish community against the ravings of a musical artist who was once an unstoppable cultural force.
Meanwhile in the smaller corner of healthcare, we saw several news events to bring to highlight for you. In one, a Jewish Canadian family doctor made history after a man who made anti-Semitic comments to her became subject to a new law protecting physicians. You'll also find out below about a new report comparing the frequency of racial abuse against providers and patients respectively.
And you'll learn about an anti-Semitic incident that is fictional but may hit too close to home for at least some healthcare professionals.
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New law invoked after Jewish doctor targeted by hate
A Jewish doctor in Ottawa this month became the first to receive the protection of a law making it a criminal offence to harass physicians.
The family doctor, Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, says she has been the target of anti-Semitic messages and death threats for her work administering COVID-19 vaccines and advocating for public health protections during the pandemic.
After appearing on TVO’s The Agenda last month, her clinic received a phone call containing an anti-Semitic slur. This month a warrant was issued under Bill C-3 for a Windsor man, on charges of hate-motivated harassing communications, harassment by repeated communication, mischief, and intimidation of the health service in connection with multiple threats made by phone.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said there’s no tolerance for harassment of a physician or anti-Semitic hate (or any form of racism/bigotry)," said Kaplan-Myrth. "This is about holding hateful, threatening people accountable.”
Kaplan-Myrth's television appearance aligns with her previous activism for COVID-19 protections, including masks and vaccination. She has run several “Jabapalooza” clinics, which have administered thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to residents.
“I worry about my colleagues," she said, "because I know that particularly women and women of colour in journalism, and in other fields, are also subjected to this kind of horrible, horrible harassment, and we should really be charging everybody in every instance and saying we will not tolerate it.”
Providers receive more racial abuse than patients: report
Healthcare providers receive more racial abuse than patients, according to a new report from a nonprofit healthcare group.
Fifty-seven percent of racial patient safety incidents in a sample of over 500 events were related to a patient or their family members’ inappropriate racial comments or behaviours, ECRI reported this month.
“As health systems implement diversity, equity and inclusion plans, the needs of providers of color must be taken into account, as well as those of patients,” said Dr. Marcus Schabacker, president and CEO of ECRI, in a statement.
“Creating an equitable and safe environment requires recognizing when racist incidents occur and taking action in response.”
While providers receive the brunt of racial abuse, patients were also targeted for based on their race. A full 42% of the incidents reported during a full year were committed by healthcare staff.
ECRI’s analysis broke down the race-related patient safety reports into seven categories; chief among these were patient or family comments toward staff (56%) and patients’ claims of racism (22%).
“This analysis provides a snapshot into the experiences of racial and ethnic minority groups at every level of care delivery,” Dheerendra Kommala, chief medical officer at ECRI said, in a release.
“More needs to be done. ECRI is working with healthcare institutions to set up organizational procedures to identify, report, and resolve these issues.”
London play resonates with story of Jewish doctor
A Jewish doctor refuses to allow a priest to give the last rites to a 14-year-old girl in her care. The doctor maintains that girl does not know she is dying, and the priest will frighten her by making her aware of her imminent death. Soon enough a professional disagreement morphs into a anti-Semitic attack, with the Jewish doctor’s Catholic colleagues turning against her.
The bullying incident may resonate with some healthcare professionals, but it hasn't actually happened - at least not in real life. It comprises the plot of The Doctor, a hospital drama now playing in London's West End.
The play is based on Professor Bernhardi, a 1912 by the provocative Jewish-Austrian doctor-writer Arthur Schnitzler.
Anti-Semitism received mainstream attention this month, when numerous brands terminated their relationship with Ye (formerly Kanye West) for his blatantly anti-Semitic comments. Social media influencers of most political stripes also defended the Jewish community against the ravings of a musical artist who was once an unstoppable cultural force.
