Question

Conduct an assessment of the healthcare environment where you work (i.e. health department, long-term care facility, specialty clinic, inpatient hospital, etc). Specifically, examine potential barriers that may exist for a member of a minority group that has a significant presence in your community (i.e. Native American, Cubans, Hmong). Using the criteria below (and explained in greater detail on pages 39 and 40), assess the potential organizational barriers to care in your work environment. Explore ways to decrease barriers to health care for this minority group so that your organization can strive for cultural competency. Availability Accessibility Affordability Appropriateness Accountability Adaptability Acceptability Awareness Attitudes Approachability Alternative practices and practitioners Additional services. Please provide references

Answer 1

Ethinic minority patients seems to be confronted with barriers when using health care services in various department..There are different factors lead to the barrierssuch as

• Language barriere: the health care professional as well as the patient face problem in communicating
• Cultural difference: this affects the different types of services rendered are avoided by certain community (eg., blood transfusion)
• Low socio economic status: thinking of how to get service due to low income (Medicaid, Medicare)
• Getting adjusted to the environment is difficult
• Racial discrimination

The following can be done to provide a good service to these types of ethinic minority groups and decrease thev levels of barriers like

• Disparity in the quality of care has to be brought down
• Proper co ordination of team is necessary
• Healthinsurance has to be perovided to all
• Specific source has to be provided