Physicians Report that Language and Cultural Barriers Hurt Patient Care (posted 3/1)

A new study out of the Center for Studying Health System Change found that nearly half of U.S. physicians say language or other cultural barriers are obstacles to providing high-quality patient care reports Health Leader Media.  Though physicians reported these cultural and linguistic differences to be obstacles to implementing high quality care, only 5% viewed those barriers as a major problem that could result in a disparity of care across ethnic and racial populations.  "The study, HSC Issue Brief–Modest and Uneven: Physician Efforts to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities shows there is a great need to address the problem of language and cultural communication as the U.S. becomes more diversified, says James D. Reschovsky, PhD, senior health researcher for the Center for Studying Health System Change and co-author of the study. The study, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, includes responses from more than 4,700 physicians and the response rate was 62%."  The study includes recommendations for practices that physicians should adopt in order to address and utlimately reduce disparities in care. To read the Health Media Leader new piece click here.

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