Introduction

The Joint Commission is beginning to develop culturally competent patient-centered care standards for hospitals. This 18-month project, funded by The Commonwealth Fund, will increase national attention to cultural competence, highlight its intersection with patient-centered care, and improve the safety and quality of care for all patients. The duration of the project is August 2008 through January 2010.

• The project will explore how diversity, culture, language, and health literacy issues can be better incorporated into current Joint Commission standards or drafted into new requirements.

• The culturally competent patient-centered care standards will build upon previous studies and projects, including the research framework from The Joint Commission's ongoing Hospitals, Language, and Culture: A Snapshot of the Nation study and evidence from the current literature.

• A multidisciplinary Expert Advisory Panel, representing a broad range of stakeholders, will provide guidance regarding the principles, measures, structures, and processes that will serve as the foundation for the culturally competent patient-centered care standards established through the project.

The Joint Commission is interested in gathering your feedback on issues related to culturally competent patient-centered care. The interactive format of this WikiHealthCare web page offers users an opportunity to explore and discuss the following topics:

• Who are the most important stakeholders to include in this project/discussion?
• How do you define culturally competent patient-centered care?
• What are the barriers hospitals face regarding the provision of culturally competent patient-centered care?
• Are there best practices for providing culturally competent patient-centered care?
• Are there evidence-based studies regarding the provision of culturally competent patient-centered care?

For more information, please contact Christina Cordero, PhD, MPH at (630) 792-5845 or ccordero@jointcommission.org.

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