Advanced Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and ...

A Roadmap for Hospitals
Introduction
Table 2. Checklist to Improve Effective Communication, Cultural
Competence, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care Across the
Care Continuum (continued)
❑ Developasystemtocollectpatientlanguageinformation.
❑ Makesurethehospitalhasaprocesstocollect
additionalpatient-levelinformation.
Workforce
❑ Targetrecruitmenteffortstoincreasethepoolofdiverse
andbilingualcandidates.
❑ Ensurethecompetencyofindividualsproviding
languageservices.
❑ Incorporatetheissuesofeffectivecommunication,
culturalcompetence,andpatient-andfamily-centered
careintoneworexistingstafftrainingcurricula.
❑ Identifystaffconcernsorsuggestedimprovementsfor
providingcarethatmeetsuniquepatientneeds.
Provision of Care, Treatment, and Services
❑
❑
❑
❑
❑
Createanenvironmentthatisinclusiveofallpatients.
Developasystemtoprovidelanguageservices.
Addressthecommunicationneedsofpatientswith
sensoryorcommunicationimpairments.
Integratehealthliteracystrategiesintopatient
discussionsandmaterials.
Incorporateculturalcompetenceandpatient-and
family-centeredcareconceptsintocaredelivery.
Patient, Family, and Community Engagement
❑ Collectfeedbackfrompatients,families,andthe
surroundingcommunity.
❑ Shareinformationwiththesurroundingcommunity
aboutthehospital’seffortstomeetuniquepatientneeds.
To Evaluate Compliance with Relevant
Laws, Regulations, and Standards
The Roadmap for Hospitals was designed to help hospitals
improve care. By focusing on this intent of the monograph, a
hospital will also help ready itself for regulatory and
compliance surveys. In addition to the information provided
in the core chapters, many of the appendices provide
additional compliance resources. Appendix B (page 49)
includes an overview of current Joint Commission
accreditation requirenents for hospitals that support effective
communication, cultural competence, and patient- and
family-centered care. Appendix C (page 57) provides
additional context and information about how The Joint
Commission may evaluate compliance with the new patientcentered
communication standards. Appendix D (page 65)
provides other supportive information including relevant laws
and regulations. It explains what hospitals should do to be
compliant with federal laws for language services, nondiscrimination,
and environmental accessibility.
The Roadmap for Hospitals provides a comprehensive view of
many considerations to support effective communication,
cultural competence, and patient- and family-centered care. We
begin with chapters focused on points along the care
continuum and practices that most directly impact the patient.
However, appropriate organization systems and resources must
be in place to support care practices. Therefore, it will be most
effective for readers to consider the guide in its entirety.
References:
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Washington,
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nhdr06.htm. (Accessed March 1, 2010.)
3. Office of the Surgeon General: The 2005 Surgeon General’s Call to
Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities:
What It Means to You: Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 2005. Available
at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/disabilities/call
toaction/whatitmeanstoyou.pdf. (Accessed April 15, 2010.)
4. Delpercio A.: Healthcare Equality Index 2010. Washington, DC:
Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Gay and Lesbian Medical
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