Cigna, Georgetown University strive to meet cultural, linguistic needs of patients: 5 insights

Cigna and the Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence completed a pilot program of physicians taking a "Cultural and Linguistic Competence Health Practitioner Assessment."

The pilot program included 450 physicians within the Cigna network.

Here are five insights:

1. The pilot program proved successful, so it is now available online to any healthcare professional.

2. Of the physicians who tool the self-assessment in the pilot program, 80 percent possessed a high level of knowledge about cultural competency and health disparities, as well as their practical applications.

3. However, 40 percent received low scores on promoting the health of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

4. The physicians in the pilot program reported the self-assessment raised their awareness of the importance of linguistic and cultural competence in their practices.

5. The CLCHPA focuses on enhancing quality services for diverse patient populations as well as encouraging cultural and linguistic competence among physicians to decrease healthcare disparities.

"There are few validated measures of cultural and linguistic competence for healthcare practitioners. The capacity to engage in self-assessment is an essential element of cultural and linguistic competence," said Tawara Goode, director of the Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence.

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