Using Standardized Encounters to Understand Reported Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Patient Experiences with Care
Robin M. Weinick
The RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington VA 22202
Address correspondence to Robin M. Weinick, Ph.D., The RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington VA 22202; e-mail: [email protected]. Marc N. Elliott, Ph.D., and Q Burkhart, M.S., are with the The RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA. Angelo E. Volandes, M.D., M.P.H., is with the Section of General Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Lenny Lopez, M.D., M.P.H., is with the Mongan Institute for Health Policy, Boston, MA. Mark Schlesinger, Ph.D., is with the School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Search for more papers by this authorAngelo E. Volandes
Section of General Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorMark Schlesinger
School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Search for more papers by this authorRobin M. Weinick
The RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington VA 22202
Address correspondence to Robin M. Weinick, Ph.D., The RAND Corporation, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington VA 22202; e-mail: [email protected]. Marc N. Elliott, Ph.D., and Q Burkhart, M.S., are with the The RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA. Angelo E. Volandes, M.D., M.P.H., is with the Section of General Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Lenny Lopez, M.D., M.P.H., is with the Mongan Institute for Health Policy, Boston, MA. Mark Schlesinger, Ph.D., is with the School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Search for more papers by this authorAngelo E. Volandes
Section of General Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorMark Schlesinger
School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Objective. To assess the extent to which racial/ethnic differences in ratings of patient experiences with health care represent true differences versus differences in expectations, how scales are used, or how identical physician–patient interactions are perceived by members of different groups.
Study Setting. Primary data collection from a nationally representative online panel (n=567), including white, African American, and Latino respondents.
Study Design. We administered questions on expectations of care, a series of written vignettes, a video-depicted doctor–patient interaction, and modified CAHPS Clinician and Group Doctor Communication items.
Principal Findings. Different groups reported generally similar expectations regarding physicians' behaviors and provided similar mean responses to CAHPS communication items in response to standardized encounters.
Conclusions. Preliminary evidence suggests that unlike more subjective global ratings, reported disparities in more specific and objective CAHPS composites may primarily reflect differences in experiences, rather than differences in expectations and scale use, adding to our confidence in using the latter to assess disparities.
Supporting Information
Appendix SA1: Author Matrix.
Appendix SA2: Vignettes.
Appendix SA3: Transcription of Video.
Appendix SA4: Examining Perceptions of Physician Behavior.
Please note: Wiley-Blackwell is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting materials supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing material) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
| Filename | Description |
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| HESR_1214_sm_authormatrix.doc256.5 KB | Supporting info item |
| HESR_1214_sm_suppinfo.doc47.5 KB | Supporting info item |
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