On Wednesday, February 7, Ferrum College’s associate vice president for Marketing and Communications Sarah Bowman presented “Healthcare Rights – What do we need to know about the post-Dobbs decision, end of life health care decisions, and more…” for the semester’s third Inquiring Minds presentation.
The Inquiring Minds series offers lively, informal presentations and activities on a variety of interesting topics for the entire College community. The series is presented in the LEaP Studio of Stanley Library at Ferrum College on Wednesdays during the College Community Hour.
Medical educator, attorney and former lobbyist, Bowman presented some of the basics of patient rights and how the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision is currently impacting healthcare education and access.
First, Bowman discussed the importance of decisions that we make when it comes to our bodies and when it could be important for patient care. She reminded attendees of four factors to keep in mind: age, location, insurance and laws. Bowman then explained the definition of access to care. “Access to care covers everything from having affordable health insurance, as well as how many doctors or emergency rooms are within a certain radius of your home. Where you live is huge component of what you have access to,” said Bowman.
Bowman also reviewed HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, Mature Minor Doctrines and additionally, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In closing, she discussed the ripple effect of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision beyond abortion. “There are a lot of layers and a lot of complex scenarios regarding women’s health and ob/gyn care coming into the spotlight. There will be many changes yet to come overtime after this decision and other related cases.” Bowman acknowledged the complexities of the United States healthcare system can be overwhelming and encouraged attendees to simply start by thinking about what their circumstances and what their needs would be when they need healthcare, especially in preparation for a healthcare emergency. “You don’t want to wait until you are in crisis. A little preparation can go a long way and make a bad situation manageable.”
