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Delivering

Culturally

Competent Care

by Jamie Ulmer, CEO of Healthcare Network

roviding quality healthcare to everyone Creole, particularly for complex medical terms and concepts. Jean
goes beyond just providing access to Kesnold Mesidor, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor for Florida
Pdoctors and facilities. It also includes State University serving at Healthcare Network’s Isabel Collier Read
addressing the disparities that people of racially Medical Campus in Immokalee, has worked to translate advanced
and culturally diverse backgrounds often directives and create informational videos in Haitian Creole to assist
experience. Doing so is important to the health of patients in understanding advance planning and to make those
the overall community. documents culturally relevant.
With the belief that the health of all of us depends on each Cultural understanding is important to patients.
of us, our commitment to our community as Collier County Haitian immigrant Olguine, who has diabetes and is blind,
continues to rapidly grow, is to be innovative in the ways we reach travels with her daughter Sophia from Bonita Springs for treatment
at-risk populations. by Healthcare Network in Immokalee because they appreciate
Culturally competent care is defined as the ability to deliver and feel more comfortable in the care of their multi-cultural team,
healthcare services that meet the social, cultural and linguistic several of whom are Haitian. They feel the staff are considerate and
needs of patients. understanding of their culture, values and beliefs.
Cultural differences can influence many aspects of care, including: Being culturally competent allows us to treat patients with
• When and how patients view symptoms and health conditions compassion and dignity by understanding and responding
appropriately to their wishes and desires.
• When and how patients seek care
We are committed to providing culturally competent care
• Expectations of care
through consistent outreach to the community and by establishing
• Preferences for procedures and treatments
partnerships with individuals, groups and organizations to identify
• Ability to follow recommendations and treatments
ways to meet the community’s healthcare needs.
• Who makes healthcare decisions Additionally, we are committed to cultural diversity on our own
Language barriers may keep patients from describing their staff. We provide communication to patients in English, Spanish,
symptoms and providers from explaining diagnoses. Often, not Haitian Creole and more. We continue to work to improve our
understanding these cultural and language differences can result in cultural competency, because we know it is important, not just for
inadvertently delivering lower-quality care. our patients, but for the community.
Cultural differences can even impact how information is The American Hospital Association reports that an estimated 133
understood. For example, Advance Care Directives, which are legal million Americans – nearly half the population – suffer from at least
documents that allow patients to spell out decisions about end- one chronic illness, such as hypertension, heart disease and arthritis.
of-life care ahead of time, allow patients to express their wishes to This impacts us all. The health of our community impacts everything
family, friends and healthcare professionals. – educational achievement, safety and crime, people’s ability to work
Language barriers and cultural differences can make and financial health, life expectancy, happiness and more.
conversations about end-of-life care a barrier to keeping patients About the Author
engaged with the medical community. For example, for many Jamie Ulmer is President and CEO of Healthcare Network,
Haitians, end-of-life discussions are considered taboo. which has a mission to provide quality healthcare accessible to everyone
Also, medical documents are often translated into French in the community.
for Haitian patients, but French is different from native Haitian

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48 Life in Naples | December 2023