IQ Solutions has worked with the Office of Minority Health to develop recommendations on culturally and linguistically appropriate standards (CLAS). As part of this effort, it became clear that collecting information on patients’ self-identified race, ethnicity, and language can help health care organizations identify population groups within a service area; ensure appropriate monitoring of patient/consumer needs, utilization, quality of care, and outcome patterns; prioritize allocation of organizational resources; improve service planning to enhance access and coordination of care; and assure that health care services are provided equitably. However, public comments on the standard indicated many potential barriers to the implementation of such data collection. These issues included the need standardize data to enhance analysis, the obligation of organizations to ensure the confidentiality of data and education patients about their rights regarding the privacy of their medical records, and barriers to incorporating new data fields in existing management information systems. Therefore, we designed a survey of health services organizations to learn about the challenges, successful implementation strategies, and needs of these organizations for collecting data race, ethnicity, and language. Information gleaned from the survey will ultimately contribute to what can help organizations meet CLAS standards and provide services that address all populations equitably.
Learning Objectives: Objectives: This presentation will: (1) summarize the recently issued Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards (CLAS) from the federal Office of Minority Health; and (2) describe the findings of a survey of approximately 100 health services organizations related to provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services and the ultimate minimization of health disparities. Our presentation will summarize “lessons learned” from the surveyed organizations, and highlight a few “model programs.” Organizations surveyed for this effort included HMOs and other managed care organizations, hospitals, community clinics (including clinics serving specific ethnic groups), frontier and rural health clinics; home health agencies; and physician practices of various sizes.
Keywords: Access and Services, Cultural Competency
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Office of Minority Health and IQ Solutions
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.