What is Culture? What is Cultural Competence? Why is Cultural Competence Important in Healthcare? Resources on Cultural Competence Office of Minority Health: Cultural Competency Site
Think Cultural Health (https://www.thinkculturalhealth.org/), funded by the Office of Minority Health offers resources and online education on cultural competence for health care providers.
The Provider’s Guide to Quality & Culture (http://erc.msh.org/mainpage.cfm?file=1.0.htm&module=provider&language=English)Provides resources to assist health care organizations in providing high quality culturally competent services.
HRSA’s Cultural Competence Resources for Health Care Providers (http://www.hrsa.gov/culturalcompetence/curriculumguide/): Guidance and tools for developing, implementing, and evaluating cultural competency efforts, as well as educating health professionals Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) (http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=107): NCCC provides resources to increase the capacity of health professionals and organizations to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent programs and systems.
(http://www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/ccp/tools.htm) Offers a variety of resources on the background of cultural competency initiatives, patient-provider communication, and information on health beliefs and practices in other cultures. Office of Minority Health Encourages Cultural Competency Through Continuing Education Program for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response Tragedies such as the September 11th terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, tornadoes, and other disasters have brought to the forefront the topics of disaster preparedness and response, illustrating the importance of cross-cultural communication skills in relief efforts and disseminating critical information, such as evacuation orders or warnings. Research indicates that minorities suffer disproportionately at every stage of a disaster, and further, that racial and ethnic disparities in health pervade the U.S. health care system. Culturally competent care has been identified as one strategy to mitigate these disparities. In an effort to equip providers with the knowledge, awareness, and skills needed to treat diverse populations, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has commissioned the development of a suite of online continuing education cultural competency programs and tools, including the Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response. Launched in June 2009, Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response is accredited for first responders, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, providing instant online grading and CME/CEU certification at no cost. The program offers a wealth of information on key cultural and linguistic concepts in a practical and meaningful way, using interactive video case studies, pre- and post-tests, self-assessment exercises, and more. It is designed to equip providers with the cultural and linguistic competencies required to improve quality of care in the preparation, response, and recovery phases of a disaster. The Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response is available for free at www.ThinkCulturalHealth.hhs.gov The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also consults with Dr. Joseph R. Betancourt on a variety of issues relates to cultural outreach. The following are a few facts about Dr. Bentancourt: Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, MPH Dr. Betancourt’s primary interests include racial and ethnic disparities in health care, cross-cultural medicine, minority recruitment into the health professions, and minority health/health policy research. He has served as Principal Investigator on grants from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Commonwealth Fund, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the California Endowment, in addition to being co-investigator on a project funded by the National Cancer Institute and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Dr. Betancourt has served on several Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committees, including those that produced “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Care”, “Guidance for a National Health Care Disparities Report”, and “In the Nation’s Compelling Interest: Ensuring Diversity in the Health Care Workforce.” and served on the IOM Roundtable on Health Literacy. He was a member of the Massachusetts State Committee on Racial/Ethnic Disparities and served on the Boston Public Health Commission Committee on Racial/Ethnic Disparities. Dr. Betancourt currently co-chairs the Massachusetts General Hospital Committee on Racial/Ethnic Disparities and the Harvard Medical School Cross-Cultural Care Committee. Dr. Betancourt has authored peer-reviewed articles on topics including racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care; public health; hypertension, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease in minority communities; cross-cultural care and education; clinical decision making; ethics; workforce diversity; and the impact of language barriers on health care. Dr. Betancourt also teaches cross-cultural medicine, health disparities, and health policy to medical students and residents at MGH-Harvard Medical School and to students at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Betancourt received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, his medical degree from the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. Following residency, he completed The Commonwealth Fund-Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy, and received his Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. | |
This site was created by the HCD International’s Health Disparities Quality Improvement Organization Support Center through funding by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Contract # HHSM-500-2008-00028C
