A groundbreaking study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that biased language used during patient handoffs can significantly impact the quality of care for Black patients, potentially exacerbating health disparities. Researchers from New York University Grossman School of Medicine and The University of Chicago found that when medical residents and students received handoffs containing biased language, they recalled clinical information less accurately and displayed less empathy towards patients.
The study, which involved 169 participants from two academic medical centers, simulated verbal handoffs based on real scenarios involving Black patients. When exposed to handoffs with blame-based bias, participants showed a marked decrease in clinical information recall accuracy (77% vs 93% for neutral language). Moreover, across all types of biased handoffs, clinicians reported less positive attitudes towards patients, with empathy scores dropping significantly.
Dr. Austin Wesevich, the study’s lead author, emphasized that these findings have serious implications for patient safety and health equity. “Biased language can act as a distractor itself and decrease the accurate transfer of clinical information,” Wesevich noted. The research suggests that racially biased communication during handoffs may contribute to the disproportionate rate of medical errors among minority patients.
The study calls for urgent reforms in medical education and practice, recommending that standardized handoff protocols explicitly address racially biased language. As healthcare institutions strive to reduce disparities, this research underscores the critical need to eliminate bias in all forms of clinical communication to ensure equitable, high-quality care for all patients.
See: “Biased Language in Simulated Handoffs and Clinician Recall and Attitudes” (December 17, 2024)
