# Does Implicit Bias Influence Medical Decision-Making? Developing and Validating Novel Models and Outcome Metrics

> **NIH NIH K23** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2021 · $170,608

## Abstract

Abstract
Implicit, or unconscious, bias may contribute to health disparities via two facets of clinical
practice behaviors: communication patterns and medical decision-making. The evidence for a
correlation between physician racial implicit bias and disparities in communication by
physicians with Black and White patients is strong. In contrast, research investigating the
relationship between physician racial implicit bias and medical decision-making, has led to
conflicting results. Moreover, investigators seeking to design skills-based interventions to
enable physicians to recognize their biases and mitigate their influence on their clinical practice
behaviors are limited by the lack of validated outcome metrics, such as checklists and global
rating scales. In this proposal Dr. Cristina Gonzalez seeks to build on her expertise as a medical
educator and qualitative researcher with new skills in standardized patient case development,
psychometric measurement, validity evidence, statistical analysis, and clinical study design. The
objectives of the proposal are to develop novel outcome metrics to assess both physician
communication and medical decision-making and correlate them with implicit bias. Dr.
Gonzalez will design high-fidelity standardized patient cases. Through a mixed-method
approach, she will develop novel outcome measures in the form of validated checklists and
global rating scales to assess specific clinical practice behaviors. The final aim of this proposal is
a clinical study to examine any correlation between implicit bias and medical decision-making.
The outcome of this final aim will address an important gap in knowledge relevant to the design
future intervention studies. Dr. Gonzalez will emerge from this K award transformed from a
medical educator into a clinician investigator able to conduct multi-institution intervention
studies addressing physician racial implicit bias and patient outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10170425
- **Project number:** 5K23MD014178-04
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** CRISTINA M GONZALEZ
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $170,608
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-27 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10170425

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10170425, Does Implicit Bias Influence Medical Decision-Making? Developing and Validating Novel Models and Outcome Metrics (5K23MD014178-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10170425. Licensed CC0.

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