Castle Connolly, a company that ranks medical professionals, hospitals, and practices, is out with the 2026 edition of its “Top Black Doctors” report.
And, like the 2025, 2024, and 2023 editions on which Do No Harm reported, Castle Connolly references the notion that racial concordance, in which patients are treated by physicians of the same background, improves health outcomes.
In an article related to its “Top Doctors” awards, Castle Connolly, in a section titled “Representation matters, while access remains a challenge,” writes the following: “About one in three Black patients say it is important to have a doctor who shares their race, gender, or personal identity. Yet 40% report having difficulty finding a physician with these characteristics.”
This appears to be an implicit nod to the idea that it is desirable for patients to see physicians of the same race.
“This gap adds another layer of challenge to the already time-intensive process of selecting a doctor, and underscores the value of credible resources that help patients identify clinicians who understand their experiences,” Castle Connolly writes.
The company first released its list of “Top Black Doctors” in 2023 as a part of Castle Connolly’s efforts toward expanding DEI practices.
In this first announcement of the “Top Black Doctors” Steve Leibforth, Managing Director at Castle Connolly, stated, “For patients, having access to a doctor with a similar background or shared experience can improve the quality of care and positively impact health outcomes.”
Castle Connolly appears to be promoting the notion that it is desirable for patients to be seen by physicians of the same race.
These lists encourage patients to search for physicians who share their racial identity, which Castle Connolly appears to suggest has some undescribed benefit on health and well-being.
To be clear, the weight of the evidence shows that racial concordance has no impact on health outcomes.
What’s more, Castle Connolly has also recognized top doctors from other identity groups; these include: “Top Asian and Pacific Islander Doctors,” “Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors,” “Top LGBTQ+ Doctors,” and “Exceptional Women in Medicine.”
As we remarked last time, this is the road toward segregation and division.
