Understanding Concordance in Patient-Physician Relationships: Personal and Ethnic Dimensions of Shared Identity

The physician-patient relationship is strengthened when patients see themselves as similar to their physicians in personal beliefs, values, and communication. Perceived personal similarity is associated with higher ratings of trust, satisfaction, and intention to adhere. Race concordance is the primary predictor of perceived ethnic similarity, but several factors affect perceived personal similarity, including physicians' use of patient-centered communication.