Health Alert: Racially biased medical algorithm anticipates extra care for whites over sicker black patients, amplifying long-standing disparities

A widely used computer model that predicts which patients will benefit from extra medical care dramatically underestimates the health needs of the sickest black patients, researchers have found. The same bias almost certainly exists in tools used by private companies, nonprofit health systems and government agencies to manage the health care of about 200 million people in the United States each year.

Democracy Dies in Darkness     Health Alert Oct 24, 1:59 PM     Racially biased medical algorithm anticipates extra care for whites over sicker black patients, amplifying long-standing disparities A widely used computer model that predicts which patients will benefit from extra medical care dramatically underestimates the health needs of the sickest black patients, researchers have found. The same bias almost certainly exists in tools used by private companies, nonprofit health systems and government agencies to manage the health care of about 200 million people in the United States each year. Read more » Advertisement You received this email because you signed up for news alerts from The Washington Post. Manage my newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Help ©2019 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071