Can a simple question curb doctor bias? new study tests individuation in rheumatology

NCT ID NCT05116163

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This completed pilot study tested whether training doctors to ask personalized questions (individuation) could improve care for Black and lower-income patients with rheumatic diseases like lupus and arthritis. Over 200 patients and their rheumatologists took part. The goal was to see if this approach boosts quality of care, trust, and satisfaction.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Individuation intervention (behavioral training for providers)
What this could lead to: If successful, this approach could help reduce healthcare disparities by improving how doctors communicate with and treat patients from marginalized groups.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with no long-term follow-up, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention relies on provider behavior change, which can be hard to sustain.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

201 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2022

Finished

Oct 2024

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Providers: Providers will be male or female adult rheumatologists with \>=1 clinical sessions/week at BWH/FH or MGH main campus and satellite clinic sites. The providers will aim to include a range of provider ages and years in practice. * Patients: The study team will include male and female patients of the participating providers who are able to provide consent, English-speaking, \>=18 years old, Black or African American or insured by Medicaid/Mass Health (as a proxy for low socioeconomic status), have a diagnosis of SLE, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory arthritis which includes RA (or referred to rheumatology because of high suspicion for these conditions), and have been seen \<2 times in the past year by the provider. Exclusion Criteria: * Providers: Drs. Feldman and Schoenfeld (and their respective patients) will be excluded from this study. * Patients: The providers will exclude patients who incarcerated or unable to consent. The providers will exclude any patient from our searches who has opted out of research.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

arthritic joint disease Bias, Implicit osteoarthritis rheumatoid arthritis systemic lupus erythematosus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Inflammatory arthritis Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic lupus erythematosus

Can a simple question curb doctor bias? new study tests individuation in rheumatology

What the study statuses mean