JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOR AND UNDERSERVED (JHCPU) DEVOTES LATEST ISSUE TO THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON THE NATION’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Medical College President and New Orleans Native Summarizes Personal Experience in the Foreward

Nashville, TN – The latest issue of the peer reviewed Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved (JHCPU) addresses the detrimental effects of Hurricane Katrina, on the management of health care in this country and on the continued suffering of many Americans as a result of the natural tragedy.

Meharry Medical College President Wayne J. Riley, M.D., MBA, wrote the foreword to this edition revealing his own personal experiences in providing healthcare to evacuees and taking in several of his own family members, including his parents.

“Hurricane Katrina served as a great equalizer when anyone left in the surrounding area found them selves helpless - without anything - including access to healthcare,” said Dr. Riley.  “The devastation of this event served as a wake up call to the nation when we realized that we were not equipped to handle the impact of the disaster.”

Listen to the interview with President Wayne J. Riley by the Kaiser Family Foundation's Jackie Judd. He gives a first-hand account in the opening forward titled, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Professionally Fulfilling, Personally Painful.

Limitations of the Healthcare System During a National Disaster

Studies in the JHCPU show that there are clear limitations in the healthcare system during times of crisis.  For instance, those suffering from chronic diseases found it difficult to obtain proper medical treatment, follow-up care, and prescription medications.

One study published in the journal deals with the effects of managing chronic diseases in children.  Children with conditions like asthma were at an increased risk of suffering adverse outcomes as a result of the hurricane.  Some of the reasons include lack of access to medication and a deterioration of the quality of the environment due to mold and mildew from the flooding.

Another study on the hospital system states that patients had to be evacuated because of loss of power, water and sewer services.  Federal assistance and rescue efforts were late coming and unsuccessful so many hospitals turned into places of death.

Journal for Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

JHCPU has as its goal the dissemination of information on the health of, and health care for, low-income and other medically underserved communities to health care practitioners, policy makers, and community leaders who are in a position to effect meaningful change.  Issues dealt with include access to, quality of, and cost of health care.

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Meharry Medical College is the nation’s largest private, independent historically black institution dedicated solely to educating minority and other health professionals. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Black Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees, and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences.