Healthcare professionals must know how to address a diverse range of client needs. Cultural competency and other practices allow people in healthcare to better understand the unique barriers and challenges facing clients and their families. According to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, “[I]t is imperative that the healthcare system take measures to improve cultural competence, as well as racial and ethnic diversity.” Staff at Driftwood Recovery embrace cultural competency as a tool to improve client treatment and program outcomes.
What Is Cultural Competency?
Social determinants of health (SDH) and other factors affect the type of support and resources clients need during treatment. Healthcare professionals must determine these needs while providing culturally relevant care. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Cultural competence is the integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services; thereby producing better outcomes.” Driftwood Recovery uses comprehensive policies and other tools to ensure staff members treat every client with respect, dignity, and compassion.
People in healthcare improve cultural competency by doing the following:
- Engaging in continuing education
- Practicing active listening
- Treating clients as individuals
- Avoiding stereotypes
- Learning key phrases in other languages
- Using professional interpreters
- Acknowledging and incorporating traditional healing practices
- Promoting diversity in healthcare teams
- Asking for feedback from clients and peers
Individuals working in healthcare have many ways to educate themselves on other cultures. Being more aware of cultural differences and expectations may significantly improve treatment outcomes by motivating clients to maintain healthy lifestyle changes.
The Impact of Culture on Client Care
A person’s culture impacts how they relate to others and interact with the world around them. Effective care plans consider cultural factors to ensure clients receive the most appropriate treatment. Healthcare professionals use a variety of tools to gather information about clients that allow them to provide treatment in a culturally sensitive way.
Cultural competency in healthcare may impact clients by doing the following:
- Enhancing client engagement
- Building trust with clients
- Reducing health disparities
- Improving communication to avoid miscommunication
- Enhancing client satisfaction
- Creating a more inclusive healthcare environment
Cultural sensitivity also reduces ethical or legal risks by ensuring professionals adhere to local, state, and federal requirements regarding client care. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and compassion. Cultural sensitivity ensures healthcare workers understand how best to serve clients of diverse backgrounds.
How to Practice Cultural Competency in Healthcare
Cultural sensitivity builds trust, improves communication, and creates a more tailored approach to care. According to Focus, “Patient and family preferences, values, cultural traditions, language, and socioeconomic conditions are respected” by healthcare workers who embrace cultural sensitivity.
People working in healthcare practice cultural competency by doing the following:
- Increasing self-awareness
- Learning about diverse cultural backgrounds
- Engaging in diversity and inclusion training
- Asking clients about their cultural needs and expectations
- Using clear, respectful, and inclusive language
- Adapting treatment plans to align with cultural values
- Fostering an environment of curiosity and respect
Healthcare professionals should be open to feedback and willing to adjust treatment plans to accommodate client needs and concerns.
The Importance of Collecting Accurate Client Information
Collecting client information during intake and subsequent follow-up assessments ensures healthcare providers offer accurate, relevant, and culturally appropriate care for clients in rehabilitation. Programs tailored to the unique needs of each client rely on professionals to gather necessary information from clients and their loved ones. Clinicians and support staff use those personal details to craft individualized care plans and improve communication. Everyone benefits from comprehensive client notes. In addition, the transition between different levels of care goes more smoothly if the care team better understands the client’s needs and preferences.
Cultural Competency at Driftwood Recovery
A person’s culture impacts how they think about sobriety and mental health. The experts at Driftwood Recovery work together to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where clients and coworkers feel comfortable expressing themselves. Clients benefit from the cultural sensitivity, evidence-based care, and tailored interventions used to address SUD and mental health disorders.
Discovering healthy ways to incorporate cultural traditions into care plans may also improve treatment outcomes. Healthcare professionals use their training to develop positive methods for integrating culturally relevant modalities into each client’s treatment plan.
Treating Every Client Like Part of the Family
Clients come from all backgrounds and walks of life. Staff at Driftwood Recovery provide high-quality client care personalized to the unique needs of each individual. Clinicians treat clients like family, offering comprehensive support services and resources to ensure they have the best possible outcomes. Cultural sensitivity allows staff to provide personalized treatments to clients struggling with addiction or mental health issues. Professionals build trust in the rehabilitation process by collaborating with clients and families to develop more effective treatment options.
Cultural competency allows healthcare providers to offer culturally relevant and appropriate treatment to individuals experiencing substance use or mental health disorders. Cultural competency involves understanding, appreciating, and interacting with individuals of diverse backgrounds. Healthcare professionals develop this skill by educating themselves on different cultures and increasing self-awareness. Clients and their families often feel more comfortable and find it easier to engage in treatment if they believe the care team has their best interests at heart and understands their cultural needs. Staff at Driftwood Recovery learn to provide culturally sensitive care to meet the needs and expectations of clients in rehabilitation. To learn more about how we support each client, contact us today at (512) 759-8330.