A telehealth company is partnering with non-profits and religious organizations in Illinois to increase medical access for people of color.
MyOwnDoctor is offering $100,000 in grants to non-profits so they can use the platform that offers telehealth visits, referrals for social services and remote patient monitoring.
CEO Cheryle Jackson says they’re using it to promote health equity and points to CDC data that found black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy issues than white women.
She says the situation in Illinois is ‘dire’ because black women are six times more likely to die here.
Jackson predicts those racial differences will grow if Roe v Wade is overturned.
To promote the partnership, MyOwnDoctor held a health and wellness fair at House of Hope in Pullman Sunday, offering free eye exams, mindfulness sessions and counseling on nutrition and breast health.
Jackson calls the situation in Illinois "dire" where she says black women die six times more often than white women following childbirth.
She says they’ve found the disparity in health outcomes occurs regardless of education and socio-economic background.