His Story: “I would be better off dead”

A physician shares the story of his brother’s experience in an ICU, how the hospital caring for him failed him as a human being, and how the pain of not being properly cared for and not being treated with dignity and respect left the patient feeling he would be better off dead. In the back of his mind the patient wondered if it was because he is Black. The story prompts the author to reflect on patient rights as a reminder that healthcare is called to serve, to love, to be empathetic, to be respectful, to be humble, to listen, and to be trustworthy. Re-establishing trust with the people and communities that healthcare serves is the hill that all in healthcare must climb together to ensure his brother’s story is never repeated.