ARE DOCTORS AND NURSES RACIST?:  Racial disparities in maternal mortality are a favorite topic for leftist activists these days.  And they continue to believe it is mainly a matter of racist doctors and nurses.  (Of course, this doesn’t explain why white mothers have higher rates of mortality than Hispanic mothers, but whatever …)

In keeping with the narrative, California law requires maternity care staff to complete “racism in medicine” training.  Evidently, most hospitals are out of compliance, and the California Attorney General is upset about it.  But, as I’ve written before, racist healthcare providers are unlikely to be the cause of the racial disparities in maternal mortality.  Differences in rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and multiple births are the more likely culprits. California would do better with mandatory training on how to recognize and deal with high-risk pregnancies.

Meanwhile, the article says Centinela Hospital in Inglewood (a heavily minority suburb of Los Angeles) plans to close its maternity ward permanently.  The hospital is being accused of malpractice in connection with a maternal death.  I can’t tell whether the lawsuit has merit or not.  But the closure of a hospital maternity ward is a bigger cause for concern than the failure of healthcare workers to get their “racism in medicine” training.