Patient-Physician Racial Concordance Associated with Improved Healthcare Use and Lower Healthcare Expenditures in Minority Populations

Background Racial concordance between patients and clinician has been linked to improved satisfaction and patient outcomes. Objectives (1) To examine the likelihood of clinician-patient racial concordance in non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Asian, and Hispanic patients and (2) to evaluate the impact of patient-clinician race concordance on healthcare use and expenditures within each racial ethnic group. Methods We analyzed data from the 2010-2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We used bivariate and multivariate models to assess the association between patient-clinician race concordance and emergency department (ED) use, hospitalizations, and total healthcare expenses, controlling for patient socio-demographic factors, insurance coverage, health status, and survey year fixed effects. Results Of the 50,626 adults in the analysis sample, 32,350 had racial concordance with their clinician. Among Asian and Hispanic patients, low income, less education, and non-private insurance were associated with an increased likelihood of patient-clinician racial concordance. Emergency department use was lower among Whites and Hispanics with concordant clinicians compared to those without a discordant clinician (15.6% vs. 17.3%, p = 0.02 and 12.9% vs. 16.2%, p = 0.01 respectively). Total healthcare expenditures were lower among Black, Asian, and Hispanic patients with race-concordant clinicians than those with discordant clinicians (14%, 34%, and 20%, p < 0.001 respectively). Conclusions These results add to the body of evidence supporting the hypothesis that racial concordance contributes to a more effective therapeutic relationship and improved healthcare. These results emphasize the need for medical education surrounding cultural humility and the importance of diversifying the healthcare workforce.