Cultural competence in health care is defined as the ability of health care providers to understand patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors, including tailoring delivery to meet patients’ social, cultural and linguistic needs that are brought to the encounter. (Office of Minority Health DHHS).

Better Health has developed a comprehensive cultural competency plan as part of the Utilization Management Program to improve health outcomes and quality of care, and to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. The National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) are used to educate employees and providers on the importance of communication in a preferred language and respect for cultural health beliefs. The CLAS standards are also used to educate members about their right to receive effective, understandable, and respectful care that is provided in a manner compatible with their cultural health beliefs and in their preferred language.

Educational and informational materials about Better Health are available to enrollees and potential enrollees in English and in other languages that represent greater than five percent of the population. Translation services are available for all members speaking other languages. Other formats for written materials, such as large print, audio tape or Braille, will be available upon request through the Member Services department.

How to obtain assistance with linguistic barriers is included in Member Handbooks and Provider Manuals. Member satisfaction related to effective communication will be monitored through satisfaction surveys, grievance and appeals and anecdotal information. At least one quality improvement plan will focus on identifying and meeting access to language and translation services for non-English speaking members.

Better Health’s Member Services Department will routinely collect and maintain Information on each enrollee when a cultural or linguistic barrier is identified so that alternative communication methods can be made available. This information will be readily available to the Medical/Care Management Staff, who will also be trained to ensure effective communication between enrollees and providers.

As part of our contract standards, network providers will be prohibited from discriminating against different types of patients based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, source of payment or health status. Links to community based providers that support racial and ethnic minorities and the disabled will be established to ensure the community’s existing resources are accessible for members with special needs.

Better Health’s Cultural Competency Plan is an important component of overall excellence in health care delivery. Issues of health care quality and satisfaction are of particular concern for our enrollees with chronic conditions who frequently access health care services. We expect our cultural competency plan to be an on-going process that will grow and progress as we grow as a health plan.