Black patient calls out medical assistant for labeling her test kit “King Kong.”
“That’s unacceptable, even if it was a typo,” King said, before stating she would report the “racist” act.
Kierra King, a Black woman from Southern California, was deeply offended when she discovered her name had been changed to “King Kong” on a vial label during a doctor’s visit.
“This is beyond unacceptable,” King wrote in a TikTok video, showing her followers the label that read “King, Kong” instead of “King, Kierra.” She continued recording as she questioned a healthcare worker, who said she didn’t know who had printed the label. “Can you understand why, as a Black woman, I would have a problem with that?” King asks in the video. “That’s unacceptable. Even if it was a typo, how could that happen? Seriously?!”
King asked the unidentified employee to find out who created the label and made it clear she wouldn’t leave the office without addressing the issue. The employee confirmed it wasn’t her fault and couldn’t explain how the mistake occurred. She then returned with the medical assistant, who admitted to creating the label but claimed it was an error, stating, “It wasn’t really my intention to put your name like that.” The assistant went on to say that they gave King the vial to verify the information and that King “didn’t mention anything” about any errors. However, King stated that no one had actually “double-checked” her name.
The medical assistant, after suggesting that King hadn’t pointed out the name issue when she submitted her sample, told her, “If you’re upset about how I wrote it and want to report me, that’s perfectly fine.”
King’s TikTok post revealed that the incident took place at Perlman Clinic, which serves San Diego and Orange County.
In response to the backlash from TikTok users, the clinic released the following statement:
“At Perlman Clinic, we value every patient. We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and cared for. Diversity is central to our mission, and we aim to provide compassionate care that meets the unique needs of each individual. Your health and well-being are our top priority.”
King stated that her experience is just one example of “blatant racism” and decided to use her social media platform to raise awareness. A 2024 analysis by KFF found that Black women are more likely than other groups to report experiencing unfair treatment from healthcare providers based on race and ethnicity. Among Black women who accessed healthcare in the past three years, 34% reported experiencing worse health, being less likely to seek care, or changing healthcare providers.
