Design and Pilot Test of an Implicit Bias Mitigation Curriculum for Medical Clinicians: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Numerous studies have delineated the impact of provider and system implicit bias (IB) on clinical care. There is a clear need for strategies that mitigate the impact of this type of bias in the clinical encounter between provider and patient. This study explored the acceptability and feasibility of an education intervention designed to impact IB in the clinical encounter. 37 medical clinicians participated in a three-session workshop designed to provide information about implicit bias (IB) and its impact on healthcare, increase awareness of one’s own capacity for IB, and develop skills to mitigate IB in the clinical encounter. 78% of the participants attended all 3 sessions. Pre and post surveys were administered. The response rate for the surveys was 67%. Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the curriculum objectives were met, and that the sessions equipped them to mitigate the impact of IB in clinical care. Participants consistently reported higher self-efficacy for mitigating IB after compared to before completing the curriculum. Further study needs to objectively measure the utility of this curriculum to mitigate IB in clinical encounters, and its effect on clinical outcomes.

Presenters

Benjamin Reese, Jr.
CEO, BenReese, LLC, North Carolina, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Education and Learning Worlds of Differences

KEYWORDS

Implicit Bias, Clinical Care, Medical Providers, Feasibility Study