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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Anna Whelan, PhD, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW SYDNEY NSW 2052, Sydney, Australia, Robert Weech-Maldonado, MBA PhD, Department of Health Services Research, Management, and Policy College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, 101 S. Newell Drive, Room 4151, PO Box 100195, Gainesville, FL 32610-0195, and Janice L. Dreachslin, PhD, Management Division, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, 30 E. Swedesford Road, Malvern, PA 19355, (610) 648-3269, jld13@psu.edu.

In both Australia and the United States, representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the labor pool and in the patient population is increasing. As a result of these changing demographics and regulatory requirements, health care organizations in both countries are engaging in a wide range of diversity management and cultural competency practices to improve organizational performance, with the ultimate goal of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the process and outcome of health care. A mail survey instrument based on Dreachslin's (1996, 1999) strategic diversity leadership change process model and associated performance indicators was previously developed and used to study diversity management practices in Pennsylvania hospitals (Weech-Maldonado, Dreachslin, Dansky, DeSouza, & Gatto 2002). The instrument, with some minor modifications to accommodate differences in terminology and health systems characteristics, was used to survey hospitals in a major metropolitan area in Australia. This study compares the diversity management performance of Australian hospitals with that of a similar sub-set of Pennsylvania hospitals. Research questions addressed by the findings are as follows: What are the similarities and differences in racial/ethnic diversity management policies and practices in the two countries? How does the current status of racial/ethnic diversity leadership initiatives in both countries compare? What are the similarities and differences in the external and internal events influencing hospitals' racial/ethnic diversity initiatives in the two countries?

Learning Objectives: The participant will be able to

• Describe the similarities and differences in diversity management practices in urban Australian and US hospitals.
• Compare diversity leadership initiatives in both countries.
• Describe the similarities and differences in the external and internal events that influence hospitals' racial/ethnic diversity initiatives in Australia and the US.

Keywords: Cultural Competency, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation