Hold Healthcare Providers Accountable for Obstetric/Gynecological Violence Against Women and Birthing People

On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at 1:00 PM, I experienced a horrific assault and substandard medical care from my obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Michelle Yvette Francis, at Mount Sinai in New York, NY. During my appointment, I was subjected to verbal abuse, racial insults, and frightening behavior with medical instruments. My healthcare concerns were dismissed and left undocumented. My body and dignity were disrespected, resulting in a traumatic experience.

This type of mistreatment is not an isolated incident; it reflects a broader, systemic issue of violence against OBGYN patients within our healthcare system. We need legislation to protect patients from such abuse and ensure accountability for those who violate patient trust.

Mount Sinai initially reached out, expressing interest in using my experience as a case study. However, their promises proved hollow, and they now seek to sweep this under the rug. We must prevent the erasure of my experience and others like it.

Please sign this petition to demand justice and accountability for victims of obstetric and gynecological violence. By signing, you stand with me and countless others who have endured similar abuse. Stay connected after signing to support ongoing efforts for change. Together, we can ensure that no one else has to suffer the way I did.

 

I have blogged about my experience on Medium.com | Read Anatomy of a Self-Hating Black Women Series

Please Support this list of Demands:

• Dr. Michelle Y. Francis apologize to Roslyn J. Smith in person with a mediator of Ms. Smith’s choice present.
• Dr. Michelle Y. Francis be suspended and take retraining on patient experience, emotional intelligence, anger management and cultural competency, overseen by someone independent from the Mount Sinai Health System network.
• Dr. Michelle Y. Francis be restricted from treating OBGYN patients without supervision for the remainder of her tenure in medicine.

 

Emails to the following would really help (Template Below):

1.      Kenneth Davis, CEO and President, Mount Sinai Health Systems: kenneth.davis@mountsinai.org

2.      Erica Rubenstein, Vice President of Patient Experience: erica.rubinstein@mountsinai.org

3.      Joanne Stone, Department Chair, Ob/Gyn: joanne.stone@mssm.edu

4.      Toni Stern, System Vice Chair Quality and Clinical Transformation, Chief Patient Experience Officer, toni.stern@mssm.edu,

5.      Andres Moreira, Senior Director, Patient Experience, Diversity Council Co-Chair: andres.moreira@mountsinai.org

6.      Mount Sinai Patient Relations: MSWpatientrelations@mountsinai.org

 

Health providers have a responsibility to treat everyone with respect including their own colleagues. In 2019 Mount Sinai was sued by female staff for gender harassment and discrimination, there is a culture among the ranks that enabled my mistreatment while I was a patient. The experience I had resonates with many women and particularly women of color throughout the healthcare system. 

I hope that by spreading awareness and encouraging others to break the silence, our leaders will enact policies to protect women and eradicate obstetric-gynecological violence.

If you would like to stay connected in this advocacy or have experienced mistreatment from Dr. Michelle Y. Francis and/or obstetric-gynecological violence at Mount Sinai in NYC, then please reach out to me:  info@theironbit.com

[Email Template, Copy/Paste]: 

Dear [Director Name]

My name is [Name] and I am a [role] at [company/industry name or concerned citizen]. I am writing to ask that you address obstetric and gynecological violence within your hospital. 

Specifically, I read Ms. Roslyn Smith’s experience with Dr. Michelle Yvette Francis. Surely we can agree that her OBGYN appointment did not meet the standard of quality care. I was most struck by [insert part of Roslyn’s experience]. This mistreatment is unacceptable, Dr. Francis should be held accountable and apologize to Ms. Smith. 

This issue is important because [describe your personal experience with this issue and how it has affected either you or someone you care about].

When women and birthing people are not treated well by OBGYNs or other healthcare providers it sows seeds of community distrust and discourages necessary preventative health screenings. The public should be able to trust doctors and healthcare providers. That is why I strongly urge you to consider implementing an open and transparent system that would hold faculty accountable when they miss the mark. 

Thank you for your time. I hope that this letter gets you to start thinking about this important issue and ways to tangibly solve it. I also look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

________________________

Thank you for your support! #OBGYNJustice  #BreaktheSilence #WeDeserveBetter