Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Model for Advancing Policy in Cultural Competency and Health Disparity

As the U.S. emerges from a long recession, the rising cost of health care management remains a constant concern. Affordable Health Act to the end of the 30 million Americans would ensure availability of health insurance coverage. The historic law, a previously uninsured or underinsured Americans, to improve access to group.

Health and health disparities broadly and relatively worse health states worse baseline clinical outcomes associated with certain diseases in certain population groups have been defined as. Affected groups, race, religion, culture, gender, religion and age can be distinguished. Treat diseases which result from health and health inequalities in avoidable health care costs, distribution costs an unnecessary and arguably represent the recognized areas. In particular, in some cases more cost effective for both prevention and chronic disease state management can significantly reduce health care costs. A long-lasting or recurrent disease is a chronic medical condition is defined as.

Some common examples of diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart disease.The disparity between African Americans, Hispanics, non-Hispanic white health care system will cost $ 23.9 billion.10-year period from 2009 through 2018, the authors estimate that the total cost of these disparities nearly 337 billion dollars, including 220 billion for Medicare, to be.

In the same study, the authors estimated the total health of racial and ethnic health disparities in the treatment of secondary chronic disease in African Americans and Latino Americans in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania costs (diabetes, hypertension, stroke, kidney disease, poor general health) $ 700 million. Urban Institute. LaVeist et by a United States study entitled The economic burden of health disparities in the U.S. economic burden of health disparities using three measures almeasured: (1) direct medical costs of health disparities (2) the indirect costs of health inequalities (3) Their findings showed the cost of premature death:

Combined costs of health inequalities and premature death, African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans in the U.S. were $ 1.24 trillion
Eliminate health disparities for minorities to $ 229.4 billion of direct medical expenditure for the years 2003-2006 at
Between 2003 and 2006, African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics 30.6% of the direct medical costs were additional costs due to health disparities.
Cultural competence (CC) with the different cultures demonstrates the ability to interact effectively. Awareness of a cultural worldview (a) Attitude towards cultural differences, (b) knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews (c), and (d) cross-cultural skills: CC contains four components. An ability to understand, to communicate with, and effectively communicate with people across cultures results in the development of cultural competence. CC has been steadily delivering healthcare to an increasingly diverse America is an important, overlooked and underappreciated as a recognized factor. U.S. to 2050 U.S. Census estimates that 50% of the project will be non-white. More than 50% of children will be nonwhite 2025. This patient, the health care system and health service providers in the interface between the delivery of healthcare is an important point seems to be comfortable.(Clas culturally and linguistically appropriate services).Health reform and economic development statewide cultural center for the many parties who qualify for initial licensure CME (continuing medical education) with the relicensing of physicians in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and pleaded for guidance.The center also economic Gateway Medical Society, Pennsylvania State Legislative Black Caucus State Representative Ronald G. Waters led (PSLBC) and health improvement partnership with the Center for Climate recognized the importance of a compelling business case and economic development A townhall meeting format was planned in Pittsburgh. State Representative Jake Wheatley, Tom Preston and local legislators were in attendance, including Daniel Frankel.