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When patients are of the same race or gender as their provider, they may also have better health outcomes, research shows.
For example, in a study of 1.8 million infants born in Florida hospitals between 1992 and 2015, Black newborns were half as likely to die when cared for by Black physicians as when their doctors were white. Research has historically focused on white newborns with white doctors, said the study’s lead author, Brad Greenwood, a professor of information systems and operations management at George Mason University.
“To the extent that physicians of a social outgroup are more likely to be aware of the challenges and issues that arise when treating their group, it stands to reason that these physicians may be more equipped to treat patients with complex needs,” according to the study.
The solution, however, is not to try to ensure all Black patients are seen by Black physicians, Greenwood said.
“Jim Crow-ing medicine is not going to solve this,” he said, referring to laws enacted in the 19th and 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation.
Ensuring a diverse physician base can improve care for all patients, including those from marginalized groups.
“As you increase diversity, the diversity of opinion increases the scope of how people think about things and express best practices,” he said.
Do No Harm, a group of medical and policy professionals who oppose race-conscious medical school admissions and other policies that incorporate identity-based considerations into health care decision-making says race-conscious admission is about discrimination, not diversity.
“Our view is that whoever gets into health care should be the most qualified,” said Stanley Goldfarb, who chairs the board of Do No Harm. “It doesn’t matter the gender or the race. The only thing that matters is that they’re good, ethical people and good at what they do.”
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