Diversity in Health Care

It is vital for healthcare leaders in an ethnically and racially diverse nation like the US to exhibit cultural competencies in all professional as well as social engagements. The increase of immigrants and high rates of birth amongst minority groups is resulting in significant variations in quality of health in different communities (Alizadeh & Chavan, 2016). This result from health inequalities registered as common in particular groups while also noting that the healthcare profession is itself culturally diverse. Cultural competency for healthcare leaders means that the various communities within the U.S. will realize less health disparities while also gaining dignified healthcare services from staffs working within healthcare institutions without bias (Alizadeh & Chavan, 2016). Researchers in the sector regularly employ ethnicity and race as components necessary in the analysis of health disparities in different areas. It is critical that the healthcare leader bears the cultural competencies to engage in such endeavors towards assisting in the development of evidence based practices that foster cultural synergies.

Cultural diversity is here to stay and healthcare providers and professionals have come to embrace that there is the need for effective service delivery regardless of changing social, racial, or ethnic demographics. Cultural intelligence appertains to an individual’s capabilities to function at desirable levels in situations categorized as culturally diverse (Alizadeh & Chavan, 2016). Healthcare leaders are required to develop cultural intelligence as it positively contributed to an organization’s profitability. It also ensures that the aspect of equity and equality amongst staff members regardless to organizational hierarchy are respected and acknowledged resulting in enhanced overall productivity. Leaders will in many instances be called in to deal with situations others have a challenges at resolving. A culturally intelligent leader is one who seeks effective cross-cultural adjustments in such circumstances and also ensures that others in the entity are motivated towards this end (Alizadeh & Chavan, 2016). Through a culturally intelligence leader, a healthcare services provider is able to develop a human resource structure that ensures inclusivity that not only ensures cultural competencies in relating with patients but also capitalizes on resultant cultural synergies.

References

Alizadeh, S., & Chavan, M. (2016). Cultural competence dimensions and outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. Health & social care in the community, 24(6).