From Advocacy to Action: Steps Minority Patients Can Take for Better Healthcare
Empowered Care: How Minority Patients Can Take Charge of Their Health
Navigating the healthcare system as a minority patient can be challenging. Learn actionable steps to advocate for your health, access respectful care, and build a trusted relationship with your doctor.
Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming for anyone—but for individuals from minority communities, it often comes with additional barriers. Whether it’s implicit bias, language obstacles, insurance gaps, or a lack of culturally competent providers, these challenges contribute to health disparities that continue to affect people of color at disproportionately high rates.
National Minority Health Month is an opportunity to highlight these disparities and, more importantly, offer actionable guidance on how to navigate the system with confidence. At Concierge Medicine of South Shore, Dr. Maria Clarinda Buencamino-Francisco provides concierge primary care grounded in respect, accessibility, and proactive prevention. For minority patients, concierge care can offer the personalized support needed to overcome systemic barriers and receive high-quality, comprehensive care.
Understanding the Landscape: Health Disparities in Minority Communities
Decades of research have shown that racial and ethnic minorities often face worse health outcomes than their white counterparts. These disparities show up across a range of conditions, including:
Higher rates of hypertension and heart disease
Increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes
Elevated cancer mortality rates
Lower rates of mental health diagnosis and treatment
Higher maternal mortality rates in Black and Indigenous women
These outcomes are not the result of genetics or lifestyle alone—they’re shaped by social determinants of health: access to care, economic stability, education, environmental factors, and structural racism.
Minority patients are more likely to experience:
Shorter visit times and less comprehensive care
Delayed diagnoses and miscommunication
Lower rates of screening and preventive services
Fewer referrals to specialists
Distrust in the medical system due to past discrimination
Understanding these challenges is the first step toward reclaiming control over your health and becoming your own advocate within the system.
What It Means to Advocate for Your Health
Health advocacy means speaking up for your needs, asking questions, and actively participating in decisions about your care. It also means knowing your rights and finding providers who treat you with dignity, respect, and cultural understanding.
Here are six steps minority patients can take to strengthen their voice and access better care:
1. Come Prepared and Ask Questions
Before your appointment, write down your symptoms, concerns, and any questions you want to ask. Be clear and assertive in sharing what you're experiencing—even if it feels uncomfortable. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification or repeat back information to ensure you understand. Your health deserves your voice.
Questions to consider asking:
Why are you recommending this test or treatment?
Are there alternative options I should know about?
How does my family history or cultural background factor into this plan?
2. Keep a Personal Health Record
Track your health history, medications, test results, and previous treatments. This information helps you spot patterns, speak more confidently during appointments, and advocate for continuity of care—especially if you see multiple providers.
3. Seek Preventive Care Early and Often
Preventive care is one of the most effective ways to reduce health disparities, yet minority patients are less likely to receive routine screenings. Annual check-ups, blood pressure monitoring, diabetes testing, cholesterol panels, cancer screenings, and vaccinations all play a role in early detection and better outcomes.
Make it a point to schedule preventive care before health issues arise. Concierge medicine is especially well-suited to proactive care because it allows more time for personalized education and regular follow-up.
4. Know Your Rights as a Patient
You have the right to be treated with respect and to have your concerns taken seriously. If you feel dismissed, rushed, or discriminated against, you have the right to request a second opinion or switch providers. Medical racism and bias are real—and acknowledging them is not a sign of weakness, but a step toward protecting your well-being.
5. Choose Culturally Competent Providers
A culturally competent provider is one who understands how race, ethnicity, language, and cultural beliefs affect health, and who is willing to learn from your lived experience. Look for physicians who:
Listen without judgment
Ask about your cultural background and preferences
Use plain language and provide translations if needed
Consider how social and cultural factors influence your health decisions
Dr. Buencamino-Francisco, herself a woman of color, understands firsthand how important representation and understanding are in building trust with patients. At Concierge Medicine of South Shore, culturally sensitive care is a cornerstone of every patient interaction.
6. Build a Relationship with a Trusted Provider
Continuity matters. When you have a long-term relationship with a physician who knows your history, values your voice, and proactively monitors your health, you're more likely to receive early interventions and personalized recommendations. Concierge care fosters this type of ongoing, respectful relationship.
Creating Better Care Experiences for Minority Patients
While systemic change in healthcare is still a work in progress, individuals and families can take meaningful steps to protect their health right now. By becoming an informed, empowered patient and finding a provider who supports you, you can overcome many of the challenges created by health inequities.
At Concierge Medicine of South Shore, we remove many of the barriers that make traditional healthcare difficult to navigate. Our model offers:
Extended appointments with time to ask questions and be heard
Easy access to your physician through direct messaging and same- or next-day appointments
Personalized preventive care designed for your unique risk factors and lifestyle
Coordination with specialists to ensure follow-through and support
Culturally competent care that honors your background and values
You don’t have to advocate alone. We’re here to stand with you—every step of the way.
Building the Future of Your Health
Your voice matters. Your story matters. And your health deserves more than quick visits and surface-level solutions. As a minority patient, advocating for your care isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about choosing a model of care that respects who you are and works with you to create lasting wellness.
At Concierge Medicine of South Shore, we believe that advocacy, access, and cultural respect are not optional—they’re essential to great care. Whether you're managing chronic conditions, seeking better preventive care, or simply looking for a physician who listens, we’re here to help you take control of your health with confidence.
Contact us today to learn how our personalized concierge model can help you navigate the system, reduce your risks, and build a healthcare experience that puts you first.
