[PHP-8] Making Culturally Competent Care an Integral Part of Your Organization
Kristene Cristobal, MS, Care Management Institute, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA
Kristene Cristobal, MS, Care Management Institute, Kaiser Permanente
One Kaiser Plaza, 16L, Oakland, CA 94612
Health care organizations are increasingly seeking ways to define culturally competent care and approaches for institutionalizing its principles. The Care Management Institute (CMI) of Kaiser Permanente offers one model of integrating culturally competent care into its chronic condition care management programs and work culture. CMI has identified systems changes to enhance the cultural competence of Kaiser Permanente's clinicians and other staff. This encompasses opportunities for patient care and chronic condition management as well as attracting, developing, and retaining culturally competent staff.
The CMI culturally competent care work has successfully integrated the Principles of Care Management of Diverse Populations into our chronic condition care management programs (e.g., asthma, dementia, palliative care, depression, heart failure, and chronic pain). These Principles include: 1) linguistic appropriateness, 2) sensitivity to different health-seeking behaviors and health practices, and 3) community-based approach.
We have also developed clinician tools to help clinicians understand the principles of culturally competent care and how to approach their diverse patients. One example is the Culturally Competent Care Pocket Card. This tool has been distributed to thousands of Kaiser Permanente's clinicians via journals, national conferences, and trainings across the program.
Finally, CMI has taken measures to promote workforce diversity through targeted recruitment, diversity training, and development strategies.
