A new white paper by The Beryl Institute visits the importance of cultural competence and cultural sensitivity in the healthcare sector and how they impact the experience of patients, their families and support groups.
Over the past decade, the importance of cultural competence as a critical facet for the provision of high quality healthcare has risen. Cultural competence has been defined in the context of healthcare delivery, specifically focusing on the provider-patient interaction. The issue of cultural competence and awareness is critical due to the increasingly changing demographics in the United States and around the world. This results in diverse patient populations from different racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Today, in the United States, 27 percent of the total population is an ethnic and/or racial minority. In addition, 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population is foreign born; of these, 53.6 percent are from Latin America and 26 percent are from Asia (according to the 2007 American Community Survey). While these numbers are not the primary reason to focus on cultural competence, they are important to consider as key factors in why the healthcare industry must be prepared to manage an increasingly diverse patient population.
Some critical focal points in beginning to address cultural competence should include:
• Recognizing the value of and building respect for individual differences
• Understanding the basics of racial/ethnic distinctions and disparities
• Improving communication skills and cooperation in cross-cultural patient interactions
• Improving cross-cultural communications between healthcare professionals themselves
Cultural competence is a developmental process. Beyond awareness of subtle expectations or assumptions, there is a need for knowledge about different cultural norms, lifestyle needs, and personal preferences of individuals from different groups.
The ultimate goal in implementing a cultural competence focus should be a healthcare system and supporting workforce that can deliver the highest quality of care to every patient, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, or language proficiency. As much as organizations can plan for and train on cultural competence, it is a personal issue and a choice each person must make. Examining cultural competence and the patient experience reveals the power of the personal relationships that are central to the healthcare process.
Over the past decade, the importance of cultural competence as a critical facet for the provision of high quality healthcare has risen. Cultural competence has been defined in the context of healthcare delivery, specifically focusing on the provider-patient interaction. The issue of cultural competence and awareness is critical due to the increasingly changing demographics in the United States and around the world. This results in diverse patient populations from different racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Today, in the United States, 27 percent of the total population is an ethnic and/or racial minority. In addition, 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population is foreign born; of these, 53.6 percent are from Latin America and 26 percent are from Asia (according to the 2007 American Community Survey). While these numbers are not the primary reason to focus on cultural competence, they are important to consider as key factors in why the healthcare industry must be prepared to manage an increasingly diverse patient population.
Some critical focal points in beginning to address cultural competence should include:
• Recognizing the value of and building respect for individual differences
• Understanding the basics of racial/ethnic distinctions and disparities
• Improving communication skills and cooperation in cross-cultural patient interactions
• Improving cross-cultural communications between healthcare professionals themselves
Cultural competence is a developmental process. Beyond awareness of subtle expectations or assumptions, there is a need for knowledge about different cultural norms, lifestyle needs, and personal preferences of individuals from different groups.
The ultimate goal in implementing a cultural competence focus should be a healthcare system and supporting workforce that can deliver the highest quality of care to every patient, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, or language proficiency. As much as organizations can plan for and train on cultural competence, it is a personal issue and a choice each person must make. Examining cultural competence and the patient experience reveals the power of the personal relationships that are central to the healthcare process.
The complete white paper, titled "The Role of Cultural Competence in Delivering Positive Patient Experiences," is available for download at www.theberylinstitute.org.
Learn more about The Beryl Institute.