Black and African American patient-provider racial concordance and health equity

Black and African American individuals continue to face a wide range of healthcare disparities compared with White non-Hispanic individuals. Research suggests that one effective way to improve health equity for Black people is to provide access to racially concordant healthcare providers-that is, Black patients receiving care from Black providers. This article briefly reviews the evidence showing that patient-provider racial concordance is associated with better outcomes for Black patients, indicating its potential in addressing health inequities. Despite this compelling evidence, many studies and population data reveal a persistent shortage of Black healthcare providers in the United States. Given the rapid growth and high demand for physician associates (PAs) in the United States, the PA profession is uniquely positioned to address this need. The article concludes with recommendations to increase diversity in the PA profession and broader healthcare workforce.