Interview of Health Care Professional

Learning from senior health professionals is essential for providing the best healthcare services possible. Senior professionals can offer valuable insight and knowledge gained from years of experience. In an increasingly diverse world, healthcare providers must be culturally competent and aware of different communities’ unique needs and experiences to provide equitable and effective care. In this assessment, I will discuss strategies adopted by Hurley Medical Center, a key healthcare provider in Flint, Michigan, to address diabetes and hypertension among the African American population due to the water crisis. For this purpose, I interviewed Dr. John Smith, an experienced endocrinologist and community health advocate at Hurley Medical Center. Dr. John Smith highlighted Hurley Medical Center’s efforts to address diabetes and hypertension in Flint’s African American community through community outreach, culturally tailored education, and local collaborations. He emphasized the strengths in improving healthcare access and noted challenges such as resource limitations and building community trust.

Strategies and Evaluation Criteria

Hurley Medical Center has employed several strategies to address diabetes and hypertension among Flint’s African American population, aligning these efforts with the National CLAS Standards to ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Hurley Medical Center provides comprehensive cultural competence training to staff, covering social determinants of health, health disparities, and inclusivity (Walkowska et al., 2023). Cultural competence training enhances understanding of African American individuals’ challenges in managing chronic conditions, leading to improved provider knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes (Červený et al., 2022). The center also adopts a patient-centered approach, encouraging open-ended questions to understand patients’ experiences and concerns better. Respecting patients’ cultural backgrounds and providing information on relevant resources and support groups are integral to this strategy. 

Effective communication between healthcare providers and patients enhances satisfaction and improves health outcomes, particularly in managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension (Majda et al., 2021). Hurley Medical Center engages in community outreach to address health disparities by partnering with local organizations, hosting health fairs, and providing education on diabetes and hypertension management. Efforts aim to build community trust and improve health literacy, significantly reducing health disparities (Chandran & Schulman, 2022). Hurley Medical Center has created tailored health literacy resources for Flint’s African American community, providing information on diabetes and hypertension management, understanding health disparities, and accessing support services.

Targeted health literacy materials can improve health outcomes by addressing the specific needs of underserved populations (Morales et al., 2023). By implementing these strategies, Hurley Medical Center aligns with the National CLAS Standards and works towards reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes for the African American population in Flint. These comprehensive efforts demonstrate the center’s commitment to culturally competent care and highlight the importance of tailored health interventions in addressing chronic diseases within diverse communities. 

Criteria for Evaluation of the Strategies

Evaluating Hurley Medical Center’s strategies to address diabetes and hypertension among Flint’s African American population can be based on several criteria. Improved health outcomes, like reduced diabetes and hypertension rates, measure effectiveness. Accessibility focuses on increased service usage and satisfaction among African American residents. Sustainability examines long-term feasibility through funding and community engagement (Nickel & Von, 2020). Equity assesses reductions in healthcare disparities between African American residents and other groups. These criteria provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating Hurley Medical Center’s initiatives.

Benefits of Meeting the National CLAS Standards

Adhering to the National CLAS Standards enhances the quality of healthcare organizations by advancing health equity, improving quality, and eliminating disparities through culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Key benefits include better patient-provider communication, enhanced patient satisfaction, and improved health outcomes. Training healthcare providers in cultural competence leads to more accurate diagnoses, effective treatment plans, and higher patient adherence to medical advice (Červený et al., 2022). For instance, in Flint, Michigan, addressing the cultural needs of African American patients with diabetes and hypertension can lead to better management of these conditions and improve overall health. 

Another significant benefit is promoting trust and rapport between healthcare providers and the community. When healthcare organizations engage with the community and respect cultural, ethnic, and spiritual values, they foster a sense of trust (Nickel & Von, 2020). This is particularly crucial in Flint, where historical and ongoing health crises, such as the water crisis, have eroded trust in healthcare systems. By adhering to the CLAS Standards, healthcare providers can rebuild this trust and encourage community members to seek care and participate in health programs (Chandran & Schulman, 2022). Implementing the CLAS Standards reduces health disparities by ensuring equitable patient care, including language assistance for non-English speakers. In Flint, offering materials and services in multiple languages significantly improves healthcare access and outcomes for minority groups (Majda et al., 2021)

Meeting the CLAS Standards enhances healthcare initiatives’ sustainability and long-term success by promoting continuous improvement and accountability in delivering culturally and linguistically appropriate services (Morales et al., 2023). This approach ensures that healthcare organizations can meet immediate needs and effectively address future challenges. The advantages of adhering to the National CLAS Standards encompass better patient-provider communication increased trust and rapport with the community, reduced health disparities, and sustainable healthcare practices (Walkowska et al., 2023). These benefits are particularly relevant in diverse communities like Flint, where addressing cultural, ethnic, and linguistic needs is essential for effective healthcare delivery and improved health outcomes.

Strengths in Addressing National CLAS Standards

Hurley Medical Center excels in meeting the National CLAS Standards, particularly in areas of clinical prevention, population health, and addressing health disparities among diverse and vulnerable populations. A key strength is their comprehensive cultural competence training for staff, which enhances healthcare providers’ ability to deliver culturally sensitive care, improving communication and patient outcomes (De et al., 2024). Through partnerships with local organizations, schools, and churches, Hurley’s proactive community outreach builds trust (Palmer et al., 2023). It ensures culturally relevant and accessible health programs, addressing social determinants of health and reducing care barriers in Flint. Hurley develops targeted health literacy resources in multiple languages to empower African American patients in managing chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, thereby improving healthcare access and patient engagement (Jarrar et al., 2024). The center’s use of epidemiological tools to monitor health outcomes and identify intervention areas underscores their commitment to evidence-based practices, tailoring health initiatives to community needs and ensuring sustainability (Pérez & Rodriquez, 2023). These combined strengths contribute to better health outcomes and reduced disparities in Flint’s diverse population.

Challenges in Addressing National CLAS Standards

Hurley Medical Center encounters significant obstacles in fulfilling the National CLAS Standards for clinical prevention and population health, especially within diverse and vulnerable communities. A major issue is limited funding and resources, which impedes the implementation of comprehensive cultural competence training and the development of tailored health programs (Morales et al., 2023). This resource constraint can limit the reach and effectiveness of their initiatives. 

Overcoming deep-seated mistrust within the community, especially among African American residents affected by historical and ongoing health crises like the water crisis, is a significant challenge. Building and maintaining trust requires sustained effort and transparent communication, which takes time to achieve consistently (Jarrar et al., 2024). Hurley Medical Center also needs help recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects its community. A lack of diversity among healthcare providers can lead to cultural misunderstandings and less effective communication with patients from different backgrounds (De et al., 2024). Data collection and analysis gaps pose a challenge in thoroughly identifying and addressing health disparities. Only complete or updated data can help develop targeted interventions and accurately measure their impact on diverse populations (Nickel & Von, 2020). Improving data collection methods and ensuring regular updates are crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of Hurley Medical Center’s health initiatives. While the center shows strong efforts in meeting the National Addressing data-related challenges is crucial for enhancing clinical prevention, population health, and reducing health disparities within Flint’s diverse populations, in line with the CLAS Standards.

Approaches to Ensure Clear Communication

To ensure clear communication, a Health literacy approach is used. it is essential to use plain language and avoid jargon, making information accessible to a broad audience (Sheehan et al., 2021). Logical organization with clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points helps break information into manageable chunks. Providing specific examples of strategies, strengths, and weaknesses can illustrate concepts, making them more relatable. Incorporating visuals such as charts and diagrams clarifies complex information and highlights key points, enhancing understanding and retention (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021). These strategies collectively ensure that communication is effective and understandable to all audience members.

Conclusion

Hurley Medical Center addresses diabetes and hypertension in Flint’s African American population through cultural competence training, community outreach, and targeted health literacy resources, aligning with the National CLAS Standards. While these efforts improve patient outcomes and reduce disparities, challenges like limited funding, community mistrust, workforce diversity, and data gaps must be addressed. Clear communication ensures information is accessible, fostering better understanding and engagement (Sheehan et al., 2021). These strategies highlight the importance of culturally competent care and the need for continuous improvement in healthcare delivery to diverse populations.

References

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Chandran, M., & Schulman, K. A. (2022). Racial disparities in healthcare and health. Health Services Research, 57(2), 218–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13957 

De, B., Topa, G., & López, M. A. (2024). Cultural competence interventions in European healthcare: A scoping review. Healthcare, 12(10), 1040. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12101040 

Jarrar, R., Lim, R., Richardson, C. L., Naqvi, A. A., Rathbone, A. P., & Lau, W. M. (2024). A systematic review of how cultural competence is conceptualized, developed, and delivered in pharmacy education. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 46(1), 40–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-023-01644-3 

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Majda, A., Zalewska, J., Bodys, I., Kurowska, A., & Barzykowski, K. (2021). Evaluating the effectiveness of cultural education training: Cultural competence and cultural intelligence development among nursing students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4002. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084002 

Morales, S., Parker, L. A., Hernández, I., González, M., Pastor, M., & Chilet, E. (2023). Addressing health disparities through community participation: A scoping review of co-creation in public health. Healthcare, 11(7), 1034. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11071034 

Nickel, S., & Von, O. (2020). Do multiple community-based interventions on health promotion tackle health inequalities? International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(1), 157. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01271-8 

Palmer, J. R., Cozier, Y. C., & Rosenberg, L. (2023). Research on health disparities: Strategies and findings from the black women’s health study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 192(11), 1806–1810. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwac022 

Pérez, E. J., & Rodriquez, E. J. (2023). Prevention science for reducing health disparities. Prevention science. The official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 24(4), 597–601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-023-01535-z 

Sheehan, J., Laver, K., Bhopti, A., Rahja, M., Usherwood, T., Clemson, L., & Lannin, N. A. (2021). Methods and effectiveness of communication between hospital allied health and primary care practitioners: A systematic narrative review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14, 493–511. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S295549 

Walkowska, A., Przymuszała, P., Marciniak, P., Nowosadko, M., & Baum, E. (2023). Enhancing cross-cultural competence of medical and healthcare students using simulated patients: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2505. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032505