Black History Month Spotlight: Dr. Lydell Lettsome

Lydell Lettsome, MD, FACS, WCC, approaches each day with the goal of inspiring hope in his patients. He strives to make them all feel heard. He helps them set their own goals and find their own sense of hope.

As we celebrate Black History Month, Bayhealth is highlighting some of our team members in a series called “Rising Above.” Read their inspiring stories of service and how they are affecting change in our community and workplace on Bayhealth’s social media pages.

Dr. Lettsome is a board-certified surgeon specializing in wound care. He cares for patients at Bayhealth Wound Care Center, Dover, who suffer from wounds that do not heal easily. These wounds may come from injuries or surgery. They may also be difficult to heal due to underlying conditions such as diabetes. In these cases, Dr. Lettsome works with the patient's primary doctor to treat both issues in the most effective way.

He has dedicated much of his time to furthering equity in the medical field. He created the non-profit organization Vanbert Health Equity Project and sits on the National Disparities Committee of Alpha Phi Alpha.

Through these organizations, he has written books and created videos regarding disparities in health care. He educates people of color around their higher risks of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and Covid. He encourages prevention by limiting sugar, controlling weight, understanding what a healthy plate looks like and receiving recommended vaccinations.

When asked if he had a message to share with his peers about the importance of understanding their culture, what would that message be, Dr. Lettsome responded, “Safe spaces have become a popular idea recently. There are no real guaranteed safe spaces. For many, the default psyche is to not feel safe. What you do to make them feel safe is the most important thing. Safe spaces require safe people.” Dr. Lettsome encourages medical professionals to build trusting relationships with their patients.

Not only does Dr. Lettsome affect positive change with his patients’ health but, as the Medical Director of the Wound Care Center, he inspires his team as well. He often encourages them to do more and strive for excellence to further their own careers.

Learn more about how we celebrate our teams at Bayhealth.org/Join and see how you can be a part of Bayhealth.