Becoming culturally competent has social, health and business benefits for healthcare organizations, according to a report from the Equity of Care initiative and the American Hospital Association's Health Research & Educational Trust and Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence.
"Becoming a Culturally Competent Health Care Organization" outlines 16 benefits of organizations' ability to meet the healthcare needs of patients with diverse backgrounds:
Social benefits
• Increases mutual respect and understanding between patient and organization
• Increases trust
• Promotes inclusion of all community members
• Increases community participation and involvement in health issues
• Assists patients and families in their care
• Promotes patient and family responsibilities for health
Health benefits
• Improves patient data collection
• Increases preventive care by patients
• Reduces care disparities in the patient population
• Increases cost savings from a reduction in medical errors, number of treatments and legal costs
• Reduces the number of missed medical visits
Business benefits
• Incorporates different perspectives, ideas and strategies into the decision-making process
• Decreases barriers that slow progress
• Moves toward meeting legal and regulatory guidelines
• Improves efficiency of care services
• Increases the market share of the organization
More Articles on Cultural Competency in Healthcare:
3 Steps for Healthcare Organizations to Become Culturally Competent
HHS' New Standards Aim to Reduce Healthcare Disparities
Patient Safety Tool: Cultural Competence Self-Assessment