Why would the ER ask about your ancestry?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Racist. Not normal.

I would report this to the Chief Nurse/Chief of Quality, or a head of the ER.

-hospital administrator

totally normal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just asked about my kid’s ancestry after they inquired about where he was born.

Kid was born in the US (so was I snd so was my husband).

All of us have very American names, do not speak with an accent, and do not appear to be anything other than American.

I know why your obgyn asks about ethnicity, but I have no idea why they would specifically inquire about ethnicity at the ER when you are there for a sports injury requiring an X-ray.

Any thoughts?

What's a very American name?

[Anonymous]

That’s odd. They’ll usually ask if you’ve traveled, due to potential TB. Maybe it’s related to that? Did he have respiratory symptoms?

[Anonymous]

It sounds to me like the hospital is trying to figure out the demographics of the people who use the emergency room.
Maybe it’s MAGA related, but my understanding is that MAGA is actually shutting down any kind of research or data collection regarding ethnicity and healthcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some diseases have well known genetic/ ancestry links. I don't click Hispanic on DEI type forms but do on medical ones since I am half Spanish and there are some linkages to cardiovascular diseases.

Right. But we are here for a sports injury/x-ray.

And I’ve been here as recently as last month for myself and they didn’t ask me these questions.

Sickle cell causes joint pain and inflammation, as an example.

People can go in for an assumed sports injury and they find it's something else altogether. I've known a few people with back and shoulder injuries, where it was actually cancer.

[Anonymous]

Then again, it’s part of the intake forms at every doctor’s office - ethnicity, race, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just asked about my kid’s ancestry after they inquired about where he was born.

Kid was born in the US (so was I snd so was my husband).

All of us have very American names, do not speak with an accent, and do not appear to be anything other than American.

I know why your obgyn asks about ethnicity, but I have no idea why they would specifically inquire about ethnicity at the ER when you are there for a sports injury requiring an X-ray.

Any thoughts?

You do speak with an accent.

[Anonymous]

Geographic ancestry is a better way to identify disease risk than race, which is a social construct

[Anonymous]

They have done this for years I think it's data that they sell or gets "leaked."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some diseases have well known genetic/ ancestry links. I don't click Hispanic on DEI type forms but do on medical ones since I am half Spanish and there are some linkages to cardiovascular diseases.

Right. But we are here for a sports injury/x-ray.

And I’ve been here as recently as last month for myself and they didn’t ask me these questions.

Sickle cell causes joint pain and inflammation, as an example.

People can go in for an assumed sports injury and they find it's something else altogether. I've known a few people with back and shoulder injuries, where it was actually cancer.

+1 Some bone cancers are also heavily linked to geographic ancestry/ethnicity, and frequent fractures can be one sign of those diseases.

[Anonymous]

This is new process at Georgetown for all appointments. Were you at a Medstar ER.

TBH, in the current political environment, with the Trump Administration’s openly stated willingness to purchase medical info or hoover it up from previously private and segregated federal databases, I have no confidence anymore that my medical info will remain private. So, I decline to answer all Qs about citizenship, race, ancestry, religion, sex chromosomes, sexual identity, sexual preference and sexual practices.

I’m knowledgeable enough about my health that I feel that I could disclose any of the above if I felt it was necessary for my treatment (which would be almost never).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some diseases have well known genetic/ ancestry links. I don't click Hispanic on DEI type forms but do on medical ones since I am half Spanish and there are some linkages to cardiovascular diseases.

Right. But we are here for a sports injury/x-ray.

And I’ve been here as recently as last month for myself and they didn’t ask me these questions.

Sickle cell causes joint pain and inflammation, as an example.

People can go in for an assumed sports injury and they find it's something else altogether. I've known a few people with back and shoulder injuries, where it was actually cancer.

+1 Some bone cancers are also heavily linked to geographic ancestry/ethnicity, and frequent fractures can be one sign of those diseases.

.
Fine, as a doctor, if you believe this information would be necessary, explain the differential diagnosis, options/treatments and let me make an informed decision about what whether to disclose or allow me to opt for a particular treatment option. You, doctor, do not actually need to have your patient disclose all this information.

[Anonymous]

I’m only asked because I have weird medical issues and some medical conditions are more know to some groups. Our military hospital asks religion for the right Chaplin which is annoying as they visit inpatient if you put anything and assume you are religious. I did not want anyone in my room and it was intrusive.

[Anonymous]

Email the hospital administrator and ask them. Then let us know what they said. I agree with you that this seems peculiar.

[Anonymous]

Trying to verify info listed in insurance file.

Did they also ask for address, policy #, employer, and other identifiable factors? I assume yes.