Dr. Albert and Maria Arteaga, Founders of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. dedicated to ending health care disparities.
“People of color are tired of being treated differently by doctors because of their skin color. At LaSalle, we pride ourselves on treating all patients with respect and giving them the care, they need, regardless of their ethnicity,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, founder and CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
In a new policy statement, “Eliminating Race-Based Medicine,” pre-published online May 2, 2022, in Pediatrics, the AAP observes that race is a historically derived social construct that has no place as a biologic proxy. Over the years, the medical field has inaccurately applied race correction or race adjustment factors in its work, resulting in differential approaches to disease management and disparate clinical outcomes.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics is taking an important step toward dismantling race-based medicine. This effort calls for acknowledging the impact that differential lived experiences have on individual and population health outcomes through a race-conscious health equity lens rather than through approaches that have inappropriately identified skin color as an independent risk-adjusting variable,” Dr. Wright said.
“Social determinants of health need to be carefully considered in the development of care delivery strategies including factors embedded in broad categories such as access, the physical environmental and community supports. Evidence informed incorporation of these factors is vital in all areas of medicine.”
Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., says, “As a Latino-owned organization, we have always treated every patient—adult or child—with the most conscientious and rigorous care.
Many of our doctors and support staff are themselves minorities and they know very well how important it is to make all patients feel comfortable and to deliver to all patients the highest standard, the gold standard, of care.”
The gold standard of care is a method, procedure or measurement that is widely accepted as being the best available to test for or treat a disease.
Race-based care has been pervasive for decades. One example is how some pediatricians deal with Black children who may be suffering from a urinary tract infection. According to Dr. Joseph L. Wright, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, from American Academy of Pediatrics, rather than apply the gold standard test, they use a lesser procedure because they assume that Black children don’t get urinary tract infections as often as white children.
But that is not the case at LaSalle. “When we interview prospective providers, we make sure that they are in sync with our values and standards,” says Dr. Arteaga. “The gold standard is the only standard we apply to the people under our care.”
After two years of virtual doctor visits, all of LaSalle six clinics are open for person-to-person patient visits. Clinics are now open in San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Hesperia and Victorville.
“The evolution of modern medicine has produced incredible advancements and accomplishments in health care,” Dr. Wright said. “But we must acknowledge and address the stark inequities that persist in leaving vulnerable populations behind. We are better than this. Now is the time for change.”
For more information or to make an appointment at a LaSalle Medical Associates Clinic call 1-855-349-6019. Fontana, San Bernardino 17th Street, San Bernardino Mt. Vernon Ave., Rialto and Hesperia.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. is one of the largest, independent, and Latino-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle operates six clinics employing more than 100 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) coverage.
LaSalle is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals, and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to approximately 365,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, and Tulare counties.
Don English, Chaffey Joint Union board member, has known Mikki for more than 15 years. He said, “Mikki cares about what’s best for all her students. She knows what it takes and knows what to do to make things better.”
“She knows the ins and outs of the system from the student’s perspective and has clear and sensible ideas about what to do to make things better,” said Upland Unified School District board member Sherman Garnett.
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.—Three highly regarded Inland Valley school board members representing three local school districts are all throwing their support behind Mikki Cichocki for the San Bernardino City Unified School District Board.
“I am honored and excited to receive the endorsement of Sherman Garnett with Upland Unified, Don English with Chaffey Joint Union and Don Bridge with Chino Valley for the San Bernardino City Unified School District Board,” said Mikki Cichocki.
All announced their endorsement of Mikki Cichocki for the SBCUSD Board short term seat. Their support comes from their personal experience of watching her in action as a classroom teacher, program specialist and as the Secretary-Treasurer for the California Teachers Association, a position that allowed her to build coalitions with educational programs and resources.
“I support Mikki because she not only knows her students and what they need, she also knows finance thanks to her tenure as Secretary-Treasurer of the California Teachers Association and she has been able to create productive relationships with members of the California legislature. That combination means she can actually get things done to make things better for her district,” said Chino Valley Unified School District board member Don Bridge.
“I support Mikki because she not only knows her students and what they need, she also knows finance thanks to her tenure as Secretary-Treasurer of the California Teachers Association and she has been able to create productive relationships with members of the California legislature. That combination means she can actually get things done to make things better for her district,” said Chino Valley Unified School District board member Don Bridge.
“Mikki has been very active in the administration of child welfare for the California Teachers Association and is truly passionate about seeing that every student gets a chance to succeed,” said Upland Unified board member Sherman Garnett.
“Mikki has been very active in the administration of child welfare for the San Bernardino School District and is truly passionate about seeing that every student gets a chance to succeed. She knows the ins and outs of the system from the student’s perspective and has clear and sensible ideas about what to do to make things better,” said Upland Unified board member Sherman Garnett.
Don English, Chaffey Joint Union board member, has known Mikki for more than 5 years. He said, “Mikki cares about what’s best for all her students. I’ve seen her go to bat for youngsters that come to her Youth Court and keep them out of the criminal justice system, helping them to turn themselves around and get on the right track. She knows what it takes and knows what to do to make things better.”
Cichocki is convinced that all members of the SBCUSD must have their voices heard and that certainly includes parents. Decisions about funding and setting priorities need to be aired and discussed openly with a view to reaching a consensus on actions to take.
“Together with the board, parents, teachers, and classified employees we will give every child the chance to succeed,” said Cichocki.
The SBCUSD is the seventh largest school district in the state with an annual budget of $824.7 million and spends $16,492 per student each year. The district has more than 54,000 students and 11,000 adult education students, in 73schools.
Mikki Cichocki traces her interest in education to her parents, both of whom were teachers in San Bernardino. Raised here, she attended public schools until the 10th grade and graduated from Aquinas High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Cal Poly Pomona. She has been teaching and working with various programs for the San Bernardino City Unified School District since 1987. Recently, she retired from the Positive Youth Development department in the district, where she led the effort to work with at-risk students, helping them to develop positive attitudes and keep them from becoming involved with and subsequently stigmatized by law enforcement. She also serves on the board of the California Association of Youth Courts and previously served as Secretary-Treasurer of the California Teachers Association, a position that allowed her to build coalitions with educational programs and resources.
