Ways to Implement Cultural Competence

Now that cultural competence has been defined, here are some methods and concepts that can be used to apply cultural competence: 

• Have the diversity of the healthcare professionals reflect the diversity of the patients they serve. This can be ensured through a Diversity Committe and team building. It is helpful to have diverse professionals in the field who already have a good sense of cultural nuances, like a certain culture's attitude toward touching, eye contact, family dynamics, and other customs. 
• Understanding the difference between interpretation and translation. Interpretation entails the spoken word, while translation entails the written word. This highlights the importance of facilities and health professionals either having certified medical interpreters or knowing what to do or who to contact in order to get ahold of one. A properly trained interpreter may be able to explain medical concepts and terminology in a way that a friend or family member cannot, even if they speak the language. Investing in medical interpreters can also solve the problems of patient confidentiality or misunderstanding due to possible dialectical differences. 
• Visual affirmation can refer to the art on the walls and the types of magazines in the waiting area of a health facility. It can help to have artwork, magazines, or brochures that are culturally relevant to a population a clinic may frequently serve. This may initially seem somewhat trivial, but it can contribute to patients feeling acknowledged and valued. 

Image: (2021). Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine . Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://publichealth.tulane.edu/blog/cultural-competence-in-health-care/.

Sources:

Rose, P. R. (2013). Cultural competency for the Health Professional. Jones & Bartlett Learning.