Which of the following best supports reducing bias in PT practice?

• A. Rely on intuition and first impressions
• B. Seek feedback from diverse team members and use standardized protocols
• C. Increase use of medical jargon
• D. Limit patient involvement in decision-making

Answer: (B)

Reducing bias in physical therapy practice is best supported by seeking feedback from diverse team members and using standardized protocols. When a care team includes people with different backgrounds and perspectives, decisions are challenged from multiple angles, making it harder for any one implicit bias to steer care. This collaborative input helps surface assumptions, improve cultural sensitivity, and ensure that patient preferences and needs are considered. Standardized protocols anchor treatment decisions in current evidence and objective criteria, reducing reliance on personal impressions or stereotypes and promoting consistent, equitable care across patients.

Relying on intuition and first impressions tends to reproduce biases that therapists might not even recognize. Using more jargon without ensuring patient understanding can create barriers and undermine trust. Limiting patient involvement in decision-making undermines patient-centered care and can perpetuate biased assumptions about what patients want or need.