Poor working conditions at Unity Health Care have prompted the union representing the D.C.-based health care provider to authorize a strike.
Conditions at Unity Health Care have prompted the union at the D.C.-based health care provider to authorize a strike.
According to the Union of American Physicians and Dentists — the union representing health care providers across the country — there have been “deteriorating workplace conditions” at Unity Health Care’s facilities in D.C.
Emily Zucker, a family medicine physician at Unity Health Care, told WTOP in an interview that “at least 30 providers have quit this year alone,” adding that extra pressure is put on doctors who are expected to see 24 patients a day in visits that are scheduled for 20 minutes each.
Zucker described the average patient at Unity as among the most vulnerable populations in the District. They have what she calls “lower health literacy and lots of complicated medical problems. So, a standard 20-minute visit is really not doing them justice for the health care that they need.”
Zucker said changes at the facilities mean new patients who are walk-ins are told to schedule an appointment. In the past, she said, doctors could see new patients whenever, without a scheduled appointment.
“New patients can’t really get in to be seen because there aren’t enough providers left,” Zucker said.
Ideally, she said, doctors and clinicians would be able to spend 30 minutes with each patient.
According to Zucker and a news release from the union, Unity Health Care has not come up with a counterproposal to the calls for increased time per patient visit and improved scheduling.
The next step involves the health care provider’s bargaining committee calling for a work stoppage which would affect any further appointments in Unity’s vast community presence.
WTOP reached out to Unity Health Care for comment and has yet to receive a response.
The Unity Health Care website describes its mission as reaching people “wherever they are to provide compassionate, comprehensive, high-quality health care that is accessible to all and advances health equity in Washington, D.C.”
According to the website, Unity serves nearly “90,000 patients through over 405,000 visits at our more than 20 locations.”
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