"Cultural competence in health care describes the ability of systems and health care professionals to provide high quality care to patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors, including tailoring delivery to meet patients' social, cultural and linguistic needs."
(Source: Commonwealth Fund, Cultural Competence in Health Care Report)
Links
Educational DVD: "Culture and ConneXions: Understanding Your Patients" A 30-minute educational, cross-cultural DVD geared towards the health sector. In this DVD, people from three different countries - Somalia, Cambodia, and Peru - were interviewed on topics such as traditional beliefs and practices, doctor patient relationships, adherence to treatments, and the importance of interpreters in the context of health care.
HRSA Cultural Competence Resources for Health Care Providers
MGH Disparities Solutions Center
DSC is dedicated to the development and implementation of strategies that advance policy and practice to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
- Improving Quality and Achieving Equity: A Guide for Hospitals
This Guide, includes a thorough review of peer-reviewed literature, key informant interviews with hospital leaders, and case studies of innovative approaches that hospitals are undertaking to identify and address disparities, as well as to achieve equity. (Published Dec 2008)
Joint Commission Research Reports:
- Hospitals, Language and Culture: A Snapshot of the Nation
HLC is a study funded by The California Endowment designed to explore how sixty hospitals across the country provide health care to culturally and linguistically diverse patient populations.
- Developing Hospital Standards for Culturally Competent Patient-Centered Care
The Joint Commission, with funding from The Commonwealth Fund, is developing accreditation standards for hospitals that will promote, facilitate, and advance the provision of culturally competent patient-centered care. This project will increase national attention to cultural competence, highlight its intersection with patient-centered care, and improve the safety and quality of care for all patients.
- One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations
Assessment tool that can be used to engage members of health organizations in discussions about the needs, resources, and goals for providing the highest quality care to every patient served.
- HLC Project Update (November 2008)
Critical Mass for Eliminating Health Disparities
Focuses on the elimination of health disparities in racial and ethnic minority populations
Quality Interactions
E-learning program that provides cultural competency and cross cultural training for nurses and health care staff.
MGH: World Country: Language Locator
http://www2.massgeneral.org/interpreters/cultural.asp
Clickable map to locate country & language information
Thanks to Gretchen Nash, Director of Multicultural Affairs at MSPP for her assistance on this page.
INDEX coordinates the Massachusetts Network of Information Providers.
