Dr. Cherise Hamblin, Patients R Waiting

What services or products do you offer?

Mission: Patients R Waiting is an initiative dedicated to eliminating health disparities by increasing diversity in medicine. Our 3 areas of focus are increasing the pipeline of minority clinicians, making the pipeline of minority clinicians less leaky and supporting minority clinicians in practice.

What drives you every day to do this work?

Every day it is not uncommon for a patient to say that I am the first black physician that they have seen, or the first physician that is able to speak Spanish. Our patients deserve to feel comfortable while receiving care, and they deserve to have the medical community reflect the community at large.

How could our community be of the most help to your business?

Helps comes in many different ways, but donations are vital to the success of nonprofits; your dollars will help Patients R Waiting fulfill their mission. Additionally, when PRW holds events, your support is needed, your attendance if possible, and the sharing of the events on social media.

We have to tap into the untapped resources in black and brown communities to have improved equity, and we progress as a whole when we provide support to these communities. Currently, Patients R Waiting is addressing the maternal mortality crisis by providing Lancaster Black and Latinx expectant moms with doula support. The health disparity experienced by women of color surrounding childbirth is heightened by COVID-19. Doulas can help to meet the emotional support needed by providing care and education, virtually and in person. The paucity of doulas of color in Lancaster is also being addressed by our doula training program. Follow Patients R Waiting on Instagram and Facebook! https://www.patientsrwaiting.com LT

BY JAVAR COLON, Business Development Specialist, Lancaster Chamber Contact Javar at jcolon@lancasterchamber.com