Culture & Medicine Project
Cultural competency has emerged as a strategy to reduce health care disparities by guiding health care professionals on meeting the social, cultural and linguistic needs of their patients. Health care systems and providers in Texas must continue to learn about patient perspectives, values and behaviors to provide the best care possible for a culturally and racially diverse patient population.
Cultural competency is the interaction between the provider and the patient that influences how patients can communicate their symptoms, methods of treatment, health beliefs and adhere to recommended treatment. Although they may not be able to assess the true clinical expertise of staff, patients of any culture can determine whether they have been treated with dignity and respect. Patients who view the physician and the office staff as caring, attentive and culturally sensitive tend to have better health outcomes.
Supporting Organizations
A Physician’s Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care
TMF and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are offering physicians and their staff the opportunity to earn up to 9 free CME or CNE credits. “A Physician’s Practical Guide to Culturally Competent Care” is an online course developed by the Office of Minority Health (OMH) that will provide continuing education credits and introduce staff to the cultural and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) standards.
Culture and Medicine Tools and Resources
“What is cultural competency in health care?” Fact Sheet (71kb PDF)
Learn more about the CLAS standards and why cultural competency is a growing concern for clinicians.
Curriculum in Ethnographics from the Stanford Geriatric Education Center
This multi-module curriculum forms the basis of generic curriculum in ethnogeriatrics. It was developed through a collaborative of working groups from geriatric education centers throughout the United States.
National Center for Cultural Competence
Sponsored by the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, the NCCC’s mission is to increase the capacity of health programs to deliver culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. Providers will find extensive tools and resources posted as well as links to related sites.
The Provider's Guide to Quality & Culture
This Web site assists health care organizations provide high quality, culturally competent services to multi-ethnic populations. Features a free online health disparities and cultural communication course.
Better Communication, Better Care: Provider Toolkit for Diverse Populations (10MB PDF)
This diversity toolkit from the Industry Collaborative Effort features tools and and resources to provide cultural competency and language access services.
Institute of Medicine on Minority Health: Projects and Reports
Comprehensive resource for issues and projects related to minority health.
Contact Information
Prevention
E-mail: culture@tmf.org
Toll-free: 1-866-439-8863
Madeline Gill
Beneficiary Relations Consultant
mgill@txqio.sdps.org
Brenda Ortiz
Beneficiary Relations Consultant
bortiz@txqio.sdps.org