Diversity in Health Care

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses cultural diversity within the health care system in the United States. The paper discusses the different needs and requirements for dealing with cultural diversity, both within the hospital system and also in private practices. It looks at the skills that are needed by doctors, nurses and administrative staff within the health care profession in order to make people of all ethnicities welcome and comfortable.

From the Paper:

"It isn't enough that the doctors, or doctors and nurses, have developed cultural awareness and sensitivity. Every person on the office staff will interact with patients in some way, and all need to be aware of how their actions can help someone, for instance with a significant language barrier, get quality health care. Medical care does not begin and end with exams and treatments. The patients must set appointments, discuss insurance problems, provide important information, and understand instructions. Those encounters may have more effect on the person's medical decisions than the doctor's care. Unfortunately, a significant number of minority patients feel they have negative experiences that can range from insensitivity to discrimination when dealing with a practice's office staff (NCCC)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). 2003. "Oral, Linguistic, and Culturally Competent Services Guides for Managed Care Plans." Accessed via the Internet 2/12/06. <http://www.ahrq.gov/about/cods/cultcomp.htm>
• National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC). "Cultural Competence: It All Starts at the Front Desk." Accessed via the Internet 2/12/06. <http://www3.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc/>
• US Department of Health and Human Services (USDOHHS). 2002. "Minority Health & Health Disparities." August. Accessed via the Internet 2/12/06. <http://www.hrsa.gov/OMH/>

More papers on Diversity in Health Care:

• Analytical Essay # 126421 : "Gender and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare"
• Research Paper # 57189 : "Diversity in the Health Care Industry"
• Research Paper # 92281 : "Managing Diversity in Nursing"

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