Reimagining Bias: Making Strange With Disclosure.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions
• Bias Studies

Background:

• Continuing professional development (CPD) commonly uses standardized disclosures to mitigate financial conflicts of interest.
• Current disclosure practices aim to assure learners of unbiased content, free from financial influence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the limitations of narrow conflict of interest disclosures in health professions education.
• To advocate for an expanded understanding of bias in CPD, encompassing implicit and other non-financial perspectives.
• To propose a reimagined disclosure process that addresses a wider spectrum of biases to reduce structural inequities.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis and critique of existing conflict of interest disclosure protocols in CPD.
• Exploration of the impact of various forms of bias, including implicit bias, on healthcare provider behavior and patient outcomes.
• Argument for broadening the scope of disclosure to include presenters' perspectives and potential biases.

Main Results:

• Standardized, narrow conflict of interest disclosures may fail to address the full range of biases affecting healthcare.
• Non-financial biases, such as implicit bias, can significantly influence provider behavior and negatively impact patient care and community health.
• Existing disclosure methods do not adequately prepare learners to recognize or mitigate these broader biases.

Conclusions:

• CPD disclosure processes should evolve beyond financial conflicts to include a comprehensive reflection on diverse forms of bias.
• Acknowledging and disclosing a wider array of presenter perspectives and biases is crucial for effective education.
• Expanding disclosure practices can enhance CPD's role in reducing structural inequities and improving health outcomes.