Martin Luther King Jr Day Host: Prof Dr Victor B Lawrence Standards Racial Bias in Technology Pulse Oximeter, and More

Host: Professor Dr Victor B Lawrence

Guest speakers will also present.

Recently we have seen many news and research articles demonstrating a long overlooked effect, racial bias, of using Pulse Ox devices to care for people with dark skin resulting in delay in diagnosis, delay in care, miss allocation of resources staff and equipment, poor outcomes, and harm to many people including but not limited to morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 is one health condition crisis of unprecedented magnitude; disparity in impact of COVID-19 has brought attention to racial bias in health and medical devices when use of the Pulse Ox devices resulted in devastating outcomes. This is but one of many examples of ongoing multidimensional and systemic racial bias at all phases of the innovation and technology life cycle, human interface, and outcomes. In addition, people with certain preexisting health conditions are not candidates for the Pulse Ox device. There is also gender, language, cultural bias, and access to communication and information complicating the use-inspired challenges. They impact social determinants of health. They must be addressed when gathering teams, engaging stakeholders, gathering user needs, designing systems, designing studies, DEI of participation, research, publications, algorithms, devices, methods, updating after market findings and data, training, follow-up, use in health and well-being, and more.

Working with data from the past is not going to reduce racial bias, nor will it result in improved future algorithms, AI/ML, etc. Research and industry stakeholders should facilitate transparent design, improve communication and literacy of those who use devices, monitor and report how devices are used, and incorporate updated data, even small data, and experiences of users over time.

We connect this effort to Humanitarian Activities, DEI, sustainability, resilience, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Social Determinants of Health. All that and world class technology solutions, too.

Let’s gather on the occasion of Martin Luther King Jr Day, 16 January 2023, to establish a plan to address our interest in reducing racial bias and address how Pulse Ox devices and other health and wellness technologies, devices, AI/ML, algorithms, methods, etc. can be improved through transformative Standards and related activities.

This meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to plan a Webinar, white paper, and future actions to advance technology for humanity.

7:00pm Introduction

7:10pm Presentation by Professor Dr Victor B Lawrence

Discussion

Guests Present

Discussion

Planning Webinar, White Paper, Standards Activities

Martin Luther King Jr Day Host: Prof Dr Victor B Lawrence Standards Racial Bias in Technology Pulse Oximeter, and More