Overview
The better you understand your patient’s language and culture, the easier it is to elicit a useful history, investigate symptoms, reach a correct diagnosis, and coordinate a mutually-agreeable treatment and follow-up plan with your patient.  Ideally, therefore, every patient should be matched with a physician who is fluent in both the patient’s primary language and his cultural background.  But in a world of 6 billion people divided among 191 nations and speaking over 6000 languages, this isn’t always possible.  And as America becomes increasingly diverse, you will inevitably find yourself attempting to diagnose and treat patients whose language, culture and beliefs may be totally unfamiliar to you.  Despite these barriers, you will still be expected to provide such patients with the same quality, compassionate care as you provide to those from mainstream American culture.  And to do this, you must develop cultural competence.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, a physician should be able to:
1. Explain the inherent dangers of allowing friends or family of the patient to serve as translators.
2. Describe the correct protocol for working with a translator.
3. Determine whether a patient from a different language or culture understands you well enough to offer informed consent and to carry out follow-up instructions.
4. Design specific strategies for identifying and overcoming communication barriers that may be interfering with your ability to provide appropriate care.

Target Audience
This course is designed for physicians who want to improve their ability to care for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Metholodogy
This is a self-study course consisting of text and CME test.  Physicians should read the course content, answer the test questions and submit the answers for scoring.  Those who complete the course with a score of 80 percent or higher will earn a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 creditsTM.

Faculty/Authors
This course was developed by Rosemary Gafner, Ed.D. and James E. Schutte, Ph.D.  Their CVs are available online at https://www.medrisk.com/Medrisk/Faculty/CV/default.aspx.

Disclosures
Neither Dr. Gafner nor Dr. Schutte have any relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests.
CME Information
Medical Risk Management, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing education for physicians.  Medical Risk Management, Inc.designates this continuing medical education activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 creditsTM.  Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity is valid for release December 1, 2009 and expires on November 30, 2012.

Nursing CE Information

CorExcel is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.  Satisfactory completion of the test will earn the nurse 14.9 contact hours.

Commercial Support

This activity was developed solely by Medical Risk Management, Inc. without any outside commercial support.