Twenty percent of the physicians practicing in the United States are foreign trained. Minorities make up the majority population in six of the eight largest metropolitan areas within the United States. In California, Medi-Cal Managed Care providers are now required to give culturally appropriate and linguistically competent services. Yet, most health care professionals have little or no training on how to deal with the challenges of cultural diversity.
Managing Diversity in Health Care offers professionals an essential handbook for learning to become more culturally sensitive and responsive to both coworkers and patients in order to deliver quality health care services. Written by Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, two of the country's top experts in cultural diversity in the workplace, this vital resource explains how to build productive work relationships, deal with complex issues of prejudice and bias, and communicate effectively within an increasingly diverse health care setting.
Chapter after chapter is filled with practical information, helpful suggestions, effective strategies, and models and checklists that are fundamental to creating a culturally competent health care organization. The book includes critical knowledge on a wide range of topics:
- Common misunderstandings that often occur in a cross-cultural environment
- Standards of privacy; the importance and criteria of status; beliefs about the body, healing, and dying; and other cultural factors that influence the health care experience
- Culturally sensitive ways to solicit relevant information
- Strategies for minimizing the negative effects of stereotyping
- The seven essential steps for affecting long-term organizational change
- Examples of real-life solutions implemented by health care organizations
- A current listing of the most useful books, videos, articles, newsletters, and published training materials on the topic of diversity
With this book as a touchstone, staff at all levels—executives and direct care providers—can acquire the adaptability, knowledge, and openness needed to create a productive and harmonious work environment and provide sensitive and caring health services to all their patients.
