Understanding the soul of the patient: Dr. Katherine Bianco on why representation matters

For Katherine Bianco, MD, director of the maternal congenital heart program at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, the path to healthcare started with an important role model: her mother. 

Dr. Bianco grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, with a single mother who practiced as an OB-GYN. 

“Not only did I get my passion for women’s health and reproduction from my mother, but I learned about the importance of work ethic, education and representation,” she told Becker’s.

Now, Dr. Bianco, also an OB-GYN, is using her knowledge and leadership role at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health to help address disparities in maternal and fetal outcomes among the Palo Alto, Calif.-based system’s patient population. 

Becker’s recently connected with Dr. Bianco to learn more about these efforts and discuss the importance of representation in healthcare in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. 

Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. 

Question: Why did you pursue a career in the medical field — especially in maternal fetal medicine?

Dr. Katherine Bianco: Growing up with a single mother from Venezuela, I learned about breaking down cultural barriers at a young age. My mother was an OB-GYN, so I spent a great deal of time in the hospital observing her work. 

My clinical interest in complicated pregnancies with birth defects, recurrent miscarriages, maternal congenital heart defects and hypertension disorders of pregnancy led to my underlying research interests in genomic abnormalities in the human trophoblast carrying to faulty placentation. When I arrived in the United States to pursue the American dream, I learned that knowledge is power and how I could be a voice for my patients, improving understanding of their reproductive disorder through applied science with my diversity lens. I realized that the doctors who don’t understand the soul won’t cure the body, thus I do believe bringing personalized care to my patient population makes a big difference in their pregnancy outcomes and their health in general.

Q: Are there any unique factors that influence high-risk pregnancies in diverse populations? 

KB: Racial disparities and the long-standing inequities in maternal and infant health is a national issue. When it comes to caring for diverse maternal populations, it’s important to understand underlying social and economic inequities, many of which are found in rural and suburban areas of our country. The more we as doctors educate ourselves and understand these biases, the more we can understand potential factors that may impact diverse populations. 

I take a collaborative approach to provide the highest-quality care for women experiencing both normal and complicated pregnancies. Along with a multispecialty group of healthcare providers at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, we are constantly researching to understand the unique factors, such as maternal cardiac disorders or high blood pressure, that influence high-risk pregnancies in diverse populations to provide better care. The ample geographic area that we cover through Stanford Children’s Perinatal Diagnostic Centers allows us to reach out to vulnerable populations hours away from a main medical center. Also, being able to understand the importance of culture, humility and a patient’s preferred language can help alleviate the health disparities in this marginalized population.

Q: What ignited your passion about diversity and the importance of representation in the healthcare field?

KB: Not only did my passion for maternal fetal medicine stem from my mother, but I learned about the importance of work ethic, education and representation.

As a Latina woman in academic medicine, I feel strongly about equal opportunity for education, career development and compensation. Studies have shown that when representation is reflected in healthcare providers, they are often better able to relate to, understand and empathize with their patients, especially those in more vulnerable and underrepresented communities. It is one of my personal drives to form medical teams composed of caregivers from diverse backgrounds to create a more diverse workforce, boost employee morale and create a stronger feeling of community and inclusion. 

A recent report showed that even though the Latino population comprised almost 18 percent of the U.S. population during the study period, only 6 percent of U.S. physicians were Latino, and Latinas made up only 2 percent of the U.S. physician population. Non-Hispanic white physicians made up 66 percent.

The study also showed Latinas are severely underrepresented in the California physician population. In California, Latinos represent 39 percent of the state population, but Latinas made up less than 3 percent of California’s physician population.

As a founding member and director of Stanford Medicine’s OB-GYN diversity, equity and inclusion committee, embracing diversity is not only crucial for the future of maternal fetal medicine and obstetrics, but also the entire healthcare organization.

Q: What advice would you give emerging Latino leaders?

KB: In California, 40 percent of the population is Latino. Within this group, the English proficiency ranges, and in many cases, is limited. In today’s healthcare leadership environment, improving representation and equitable treatment of racial and ethnic diversity requires significant social change and empathy, especially among Latino American healthcare leaders. These leaders have the ability to encourage more individuals to pursue a career in the health sciences. The healthcare industry can open doors for more diverse leaders through recruitment, mentorship programs, and increasing employee retention incentives and education. 

As physicians, we work to provide the best possible care for our patients. When medical professionals understand the language and cultural background of their patients, they will build a better bond with patients, make patients more comfortable and help reduce their fears, distrust or the stress of coming to seek medical attention.