White Doctors and Black Patients: Influence of Race on the Doctor-Patient Relationship

Effective communication between doctor and patient, a skill not emphasized in medical education programs, is essential for patient satisfaction and optimal patient care. In many teaching hospitals, the doctor is commonly white and middle class and the patient black and indigent. Racial differences, even in the absence of social class differences, may have a negative impact on the quality of the doctor-patient relationship. The impact of racism is reviewed, and recommendations to enhance the relationship between white doctors and black patients, are made.