Richard Allen Williams, M.D.: a Career Fighting Disparities and Fostering Equity
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Richard Allen Williams, M.D.: a Career Fighting Disparities and Fostering Equity Rahn K. Bailey 1 & Adrienne M. Saldana 1 & Andrea M. Saldana 1 Received: 27 April 2020 / Revised: 24 June 2020 / Accepted: 30 June 2020 # W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute 2020
Abstract This is a literature review where we acknowledge Richard Allen Williams, the first African American physician to win the John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award, and recognize his achievements in race and ethnicity in healthcare. There have been significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease; however, racial disparities continue to create inequity in the medical community especially for African Americans. Dr. Williams founded the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) in 1974 to address the misperception about, and the misdiagnosis and maltreatment of African American patients. He emphasized the importance of diversity and the non-biased approach to the treatment of all communities. This literary review further explores current racial disparities African Americans face during the COVID-19 pandemic. Granted that Dr. Williams’ win is a step towards progress and change, there is much to be done to conquer the cultural divide in healthcare. Keywords Racial disparities . Inequities . African Americans . Cardiology . COVID-19 . Award
Introduction
Racial Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease
The Harris County Medical Society (HCMS) and the Houston Academy of Medicine (HAM) has named Dr. Richard Allen Williams winner of the John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award at a ceremony on January 17, 2020. Dr. Williams is the first African American recipient of the award [1]. The John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award is an annual national award, named after its first recipient, John P. McGovern. It recognizes the physician who embodies the ideals of Sir William Osler—medical excellence, humane and ethical care, commitment to medical humanities and writing, research, and harmony between the academic and medical practitioner. Dr. Williams’ commitment to excellence is demonstrated by his continued contributions to the field of cardiology, excelling as a clinician in his 50 years of medical practice [2]. There has been a lot of discussion about African Americans not being acknowledged for their achievements. This is true not only in the black community, but among foreigners, international medical graduates, women, and other minority groups.
Historically, there has been a difference in cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden among racial/ethnic groups in the USA. One in every four deaths in the USA is caused by CVD. In other words, one person dies every 37 s [3]. In 2015, 23.5% of African Americans died from heart disease, 23.9% are male and 23.1% are female. In 2017, heart disease at 24.2% was the leading cause of death in men of all ages and in all races and origins [4]. Heart disease at 21.8% was also the leading cause of death in women of all races and origins [5]. The best predictors of CVD are age, gender, dyslipidemia, hyp
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