Cultural Competence and Organizational Challenges

Changing demographics and health disparities challenge our health care leaders, managers, and practitioners. Patti Rose, author of Cultural Competency: For Health Administration and Public Health, provides one explanation for disparities based on the context of various racial and ethnic groups (p. 4).

The DHHS Office of Minority Health defines cultural and linguistic competence as "a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations" (Rose, p. 12)

In your initial post, answer the following questions:

• Consider a local health care provider such as a hospital, clinic, doctor's office. What are some of the major considerations involved in the provider's ability to improve the practice of cultural competence?
• How important is an effort of community outreach for health care leadership when addressing health disparities?
• Imagine yourself in the role of advising a health care leader who has limited knowledge of diversity and cultural competence. What major suggestions would you make relative to developing a culturally competent and diverse workforce?