Locked out of healthcare: A descriptive context of migrant health considerations in pediatrics

Abstract

Over the past year, we have seen many migrant pediatric patients with significant resource limitations admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. These patients are medically fragile with challenging psychosocial circumstances. They are ineligible for resources and services given their immigration status yet are in dire need of them. Our United States healthcare infrastructure is poorly designed to serve these patients. Resources are increasingly scarce, and fragmentation exists in continuity of care provided to these patients that compromises their health and safety. This global health crisis is surrounded by immense controversy especially with respect to high-cost healthcare. Experiences from the field provide a descriptive context on the circumstances surrounding migration attributed to suboptimal access to healthcare across many developing countries. We present global health, immigration policy, and human rights implications of migration. We also propose recommendations to build a comprehensive global health network that accounts for ample disparities across healthcare systems.