Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Healthcare
Gardenswartz L, Rowe A. Managing Diversity: A Complete Desk Reference and Planning Guide, 1993.
Commonwealth Fund 2001 Healthcare Quality
Survey
• 6,772 adults surveyed
• Communication problems reported more
commonly for African Americans (Af A),
Hispanics (H) and Asian Americans (As A)
• H and Af A adults highest uninsured rates
• H and As A patients had greatest difficulty
understanding information from doctor
• Less than one half of limited English proficient
patients always or usually had interpreters
• Af A, H, and As A more often felt that they had
been treated disrespectfully or with little
understanding of their culture
Commonwealth Fund 2001 Healthcare Quality
Survey (www.cmwf.org)
• Three main factors in ensuring that minority
populations receive optimal medical care:
Effective patient-physician communication
Overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers
Access to affordable health insurance
• Policy implications
Financing interpreters (few states only)
Training of clinicians and medical students in
communicating and interacting effectively with
patients from different cultures
Expanding health coverage and access to all
Promoting Cultural Diversity and Cultural
Competency
Self-Assessment Checklist
“Ethnic Mnemonic”
E: Explanation
T: Treatment
H: Healers
N: Negotiation
I: Intervention
C: Collaboration and Communication
Developed by: Steven J. Levin, MD; Robert C. Like, MD; Jan E. Gottlieb, MD.
Department of Family Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School.
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “E”
E: Explanation
What do you think may be the reason you have
these symptoms?
What do friends, family, others say about these
symptoms?
Do you know anyone else who has had or who
has this kind of problem?
Have you heard about/read/seen it on
TV/radio/newspaper? (If patient cannot offer
explanation, ask what most concerns them
about their problem).
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “T”
T: Treatment
What kinds of medicines, home remedies or
other treatments have you tried for this illness?
Is there anything you eat, drink, or do (or
avoid) on a regular basis to stay healthy? Tell
me about it.
What kind of treatment are you seeking from
me?
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “H”
H: Healers
Have you sought any advice from
alternative/folk healers, friends or other people
(non-doctors) for help with your problems?
Tell me about it.
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “N”
N: Negotiation
Negotiate options that will be mutually
acceptable to you and your patient and that do
not contradict, but rather incorporate your
patient’s beliefs.
Ask what are the most important results your
patient hopes to achieve from this intervention.
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “I”
I: Intervention
Determine an intervention with your patient.
May include incorporation of alternative
treatments, spirituality, and healers as well as
other cultural practices (e.g. foods eaten or
avoided in general, and when sick).
“Ethnic Mnemonic” – “C”
C: Collaboration and Communication
Collaborate with the patient, family members,
other health care team members, healers and
community resources.
Effectively use interpreters in encounters with
patients with limited English proficiency.
International Family Medicine Clinic
International Family Medicine Clinic
Goals
Provide comprehensive, high quality, culturally
competent care to the growing population of
limited English proficiency (LEP) patients
Develop systems to more efficiently care for
patients, including better communication with
community partners and standardized
screening and evaluation
Become a resource for the medical center and
others who serve LEP patients
Document, evaluate and advocate
Current Clinic Structure
5 half-day sessions
3 clinicians
Interpreters
New refugee patients
scheduled after Health
Department Screening
Special forms, cultural profiles, and database
Mental health: referral to Family Stress Clinic
(bilingual, volunteer counselors)
International Health Intern
Common Health Issues
Full range of acute and chronic illnesses
Infectious diseases
Skin rashes
Dental disease
Anemia/nutritional deficiencies