Seminar Reflection for 08 April 2021

This seminar meeting was a lot different to me than the others that have been held this

year. We review graduation requirements that are coming due for those planning on graduating

this year and the items coming due for others. We also had Elliott Jones, the Chief Information

Security Officer (CISO) for Keck Medicine of USC Health Systems, spoke to us about his

position. He reviewed the healthcare regulations (HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules) related to

managing an electronic healthcare record system. He explained how all government rules are

tied in with running the system, securing the system, and implementing day-to-day operations

requirements with staff training incorporated. Mr. Jones’ presentation was eye-opening, and he

made it clear how difficult it is to manage such a system that hackers are constantly threatening.

The first portion of the seminar had the most significant impact on me this month. We

were divided into first and second-year students and sent into a Zoom breakout room with our

perspective Cohort Professor to discuss specified topics. As a second-year student, I was in the

room with Dr. Boone, who had given us an article to read before class. The report was “How

race correction affects risk assessment and treatment” and was written to make the reader aware

of prejudicial thinking or racial beliefs about race and how it is used as fact when assessing

people in the hospital. This racial thinking has made it apparent that considering disease is not

what is being done when treating minorities. The medical process for minorities in determining

their probability of getting a disease is more about acquiring the disease because they meet the

ethnic/race requirement. This determination has nothing to do with research or the medical and

physical assessment performed by the physician and laboratory testing but centered upon the

notion that these groups of people will eventually develop these diseases because of their race.

These assumptions about minorities are also embedded in our EHR systems and are used to this
day to make inappropriate assumptions about individual patients. The article made it very

apparent that this type of medicine is wrong and needs to be changed to ensure that our

healthcare system is fair for all, no matter their race. As a practicing nurse, it has again reminded

me that it is my duty as a caregiver to ensure that every patient, regardless of their sexual

orientation, race, ethnicity, age, or wealth, is entitled to fair and equitable healthcare.