Before my CT scan at Wellness North Fulton Center, 3000 Hospital Blvd, Roswell, GA 30076, everyone we met was incredibly kind and treated us with respect. The lab technician was great, finding my vein on the first try, and the receptionists walked us through everything. It felt like true healthcare, compassionate and professional. My mom and I were so pleased, she even complimented the staff. However, the experience in the radiology department was the complete opposite, and I found myself questioning whether the same hospital was managing both areas. The first staff member in radiology made my mom feel uncomfortable by pretending not to understand her accent, repeatedly making her repeat words, and then rudely correcting her accent. This was the first instance of discrimination. The staff member also spoke loudly and rudely, causing me anxiety by describing scary side effects of the scan without professionalism or just to frighten me. Her unprofessional approach made the whole experience much more stressful, and I could understand why many patients might be deterred by such behavior. Regardless of the terrible experience, I gave it a try. I was poked 4 times and they couldn't get my veins, meanwhile, the other nicer lab technician was able to get my veins once. The first staff member did her trial, and when she couldn't get it, she had to call another lady she seemed close to (like birds of the same feathers) to try, and in the end, both of them couldn't get my veins. She mentioned something like getting an ultrasound IV, so my mom wanted to get some clarification on how that works because the regular ultrasound we are aware of doesn't involve an IV, which made my mom inquire about how it works. The staff Jenelle, a different race from my mom, immediately replied and yelled at my mom, asking her what type of language she understood, racially implying that my mom doesn't understand English because she had an accent (how rude and racist of her). I was so upset, and my mom was in shock. I immediately told them I'm not going forward with this test at that location, because if you are not comfortable with a patient asking questions, why work in healthcare? people are curious of their health, tests, and treatment procedures. I told the Janelle of how racist, rude, and discriminative she was to my mom, and of-course as unnecessarily proud as she is, she never uttered a single word of apology, but she quickly walked away and couldn't face the reality of what she has done, rather it was another staff member who was apologizing on her behalf at that moment. There was a staff member in the CT scan room with a similar accent to my mom's, and she seemed visibly uncomfortable with the discrimination my mom faced. I hope she's not bullied by her colleagues, and seeing her reaction made me realize how anyone, or their loved ones, can be affected by discrimination.
America is a nation built by immigrants, and accents are a part of many people's identities, whether from Asia, Africa, Latin America, or Europe. As a natural-born American, I may not experience discrimination based on accent, but my parents and grandparents may, and many others face the same struggles. This doesn't justify racial mistreatment. After the incident in the CT scan room, I left feeling deeply upset and disturbed. Many people who witnessed or heard about the incident were outraged and couldn't believe such discriminatory behavior came from a healthcare professional. Some encouraged me to report it, and others were so disturbed they likely wouldn't return. They appreciated that I chose to speak up rather than ignore it. This experience showed me how just one unprofessional staff member can damage the reputation of an entire facility. I was deeply traumatized--not just by the racism, but by the fact that it happened in a place meant for healing and safety. It's disturbing that someone like Janelle is allowed to work in healthcare, where empathy should be essential. I hope no other patient goes through what I did, and I stand with others who have suffered similar discrimination, knowing how lasting the emotional impact can be. read more