Cultural Competency Workshops

Full Day or Two Half-Day Workshops
“Improving the Quality of Care to Our Diverse Populations”
(6 credit hours)

I. Health Disparities, Cultural Competency, and Implications for Quality Care

Learning Objectives

• Review epidemiologic statistics relating to disparities in health and health care in the United States
• Define the concept and rationale for culturally competent health care
• Discuss selected cultural and language issues, as well as bias and stereotyping, that contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in clinical care settings
• Describe the importance of understanding both the patient’s and one’s own perspectives about the management of health and illness and quality of care

II. Caring for Diverse Populations: Understanding Your Communities

Learning Objectives

• Review demographic statistics relating to cultural diversity in the United States
• Discuss how an individual’s social and historical context can affect health beliefs and illness behaviors
• Describe various health concerns and barriers to care experienced by newcomers, immigrants, and refugee populations
• Discuss why community partnerships are needed in developing successful health

promotion and disease prevention programs in multicultural communities

III. Culturally Competent Patient-Centered Care

Learning Objectives

• Identify key dimensions of patient-centered care and the role played by communication in developing a therapeutic alliance

• Discuss selected clinical cases, challenges, and strategies for providing more culturally responsive and effective health care
• Make use of practical interviewing mnemonics such as LEARN, BATHE, and ETHNIC during clinical encounters

• Describe selected patient-centered attributes and practices that are being adopted in clinical care settings and the importance of a medical home

IV. Caring for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

Learning Objectives

• Review statistics about linguistic diversity in the United States
• Identify language access requirements related to the care of individuals with limited    English proficiency
• Recognize how cultural values and beliefs, and the lack of effective communication can impact on the delivery of health care

• Discuss the “do’s and don’ts” of working with medical interpreters
• Discuss existing interpreter standards of practice

V.  Addressing Cross-Cultural Health Literacy Challenges in Clinical Practice

Learning Objectives

• Define the scope and impact of low health literacy in America
• Discuss selected clinical cases illustrating health literacy challenges

• Describe practical strategies and resources that can facilitate caring for patients from diverse backgrounds with limited health literacy

VI. Becoming a Culturally Competent Medical Practice

Learning Objectives

• Define the concept of organizational cultural competence
• Become familiar with selected DHHS Office of Minority Health/CLAS Standards

• Describe tools that can be used to assess the “organizational cultural competence” of your practice setting

• Describe best and promising practices relating to cultural competency that are being implemented in health care organizations.

Teaching Methods:

Interactive didactic lectures with Powerpoint slides, videos, clinical case studies, small group exercises, and question and answer discussions are employed.