Research has shown that the relationship between a patient and their provider can significantly influence the quality of care outcomes. This is particularly evident when considering provider race concordance, which is the alignment of a patient’s race with that of their healthcare provider, according to a new study led by a Weill Cornell Medical College student. Research into this topic sheds light on the intersection of race, healthcare, and patient satisfaction, offering an understanding of how these factors influence health outcomes.
Ben Grant, a 4th-year Weill Cornell Medicine student, has been with the General Internal Medicine (GIM) division since his 1st year through the Anita Mesi GIM Summer Internship and is the lead researcher of the study. He is originally from a small, rural town outside of Charleston, South Carolina, a community with a significant population of Black people. Growing up in a suburban, low-income area like the rural Southeastern United States, where the study takes place, his personal experiences are deeply aligned with the research. His interest in health disparities, combined with admiration for Dr.Monika Safford’s work in Southeastern Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control Study, which highlights key factors contributing to the higher prevalence of hypertension (high blood pressure) and other chronic illnesses in Black communities, motivated him to develop his research project to explore provider race concordance to improve health outcomes of underserved populations.
Through his research, which included visiting Alabama and interacting with physicians and patients at rural clinics, Ben said, he gained an even deeper understanding of structural racism, economic inequality, and the generational wealth gaps impacting Black hypertensive patients and how these barriers may lead to poor health outcomes by limiting access to healthy food, affordable housing, and quality healthcare.
A significant finding from the study is the role of provider race concordance in Black patients’ care perceptions. Older Black patients, particularly those aged 60 and older, reported higher levels of trust and satisfaction when receiving care in areas like goal setting from Black providers. These patients indicated that communication and cultural alignment with their healthcare providers were more effective for consistent care. Many patients in this age group grew up during the Civil Rights movement in the South, which might influence race concordance, especially between older patients and their primary care providers, the investigators noted. This connection is potentially linked to a patient-perceived improvement in the quality of care for chronic illnesses (as measured by the PACIC – Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions).
To address health disparities, particularly in underserved areas with provider shortages, Ben stresses the importance of diversifying the medical workforce. These regions, often socioeconomically disadvantaged, struggle with limited access to healthcare, especially to Black providers.
As Ben continues his research, his commitment to improving healthcare for underserved populations remains strong. He plans to continue researching how provider race concordance affects healthcare outcomes in his medical journey.
“Addressing healthcare disparities requires improving patient-physician communication, diversifying the medical workforce, and tackling structural factors,” Ben said.