Abstract 16165: Implicit Bias and Unintentional Harm in Vascular Care: The Case for Intervention

Abstract

Introduction. Unconscious, or implicit, bias may influence physician treatment decisions and contribute to healthcare disparities. Research Questions. Is implicit bias associated with inappropriate care for claudication and 1-year major amputation? Methods: All vascular interventionists of the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) were invited to take the race Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT asks participants to classify sequential images of African American (Black) and European American (White) faces to positive and negative attributes and groups them by racial preference based on reaction time. IAT results were weighted and linked to VQI peripheral revascularization data to test the association between implicit bias with patient race and performance of below-knee procedures for claudication, a measure of inappropriate care. We assessed the association of below-knee procedures and patient race with odds of 1-yr amputation, using physician implicit bias as a moderator. Results: Among the 218 physicians that completed the IAT, physicians with White preference (70%) were more likely to perform a below-knee procedure on Black patients ( Fig A ) and their Black patients had increased odds of 1-yr amputation compared to White patients (OR: 3.0, 95%CI: 1.7-5.4). Physicians with no preference (20%) had no variability in below-knee procedures by patient race and fewer 1-yr amputations. A below knee procedure for claudication (ref: above-knee) was associated with increased odds of 1-year amputation, but the effect was greater among physicians with White bias (OR: 8.2;4.7-14.5) compared to no bias (OR: 3.6;1.4-9.7) ( Fig B ). Conclusions: Implicit bias is associated with inappropriate treatment selection, especially for Black patients. These results suggest the need for system level interventions that transparently identify procedures that are not aligned with best practices to reduce the negative effect of implicit bias.