WHAT IS CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN HEALTH CARE?Individual values, beliefs, and behaviors about health and well-being are shaped by various factors such as race, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, socioeconomic status, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, and occupation. Cultural competence in health care is broadly defined as the ability of providers and organizations to understand and integrate these factors into the delivery and structure of the health care system. The goal of culturally competent health care services is to provide the highest quality of care to every patient, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, English proficiency or literacy. Some common strategies for improving the patient-provider interaction and institutionalizing changes in the healthcare system include:201. Provide interpreter services2. Recruit and retain minority staff3. Provide training to increase cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills4. Coordinate with traditional healers5. Use community health workers6. Incorporate culture-specific attitudes and values into health promotion tools7. Include family and community members in health care decision making8. Locate clinics in geographic areas that are easily accessible for certain populations9. Expand hours of operation10. Provide linguistic competency that extends beyond the clinical encounter to the appointment desk, advice lines, medical billing, and other written materials
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