A Framework for Designing Culturally Competent Care In an era of expanding ethnic diversity, how can health care systems design culturally competent care and why does it matter? The American Hospital Association defines a culturally competent health care system as one that “acknowledges the importance of culture, incorporates the assessment of cross-cultural relations, recognizes the potential impact of cultural differences, expands cultural knowledge, and adapts services to meet culturally unique needs. Ultimately, cultural competency is recognized as an essential means of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care.” Over the last several years, Atrium Health has undertaken several projects to improve care delivery with respect to patient culture, health disparities, and consumer choice in our community. From co-developing a new urgent care model with and for the Hispanic community, to social innovation hackathons in the Charlotte “crescent,” to a marketing campaign encouraging colorectal screenings, we’ve learned a few things about community engagement. In an attempt to preserve and codify our learnings for future project leaders engaging in similar work, I analyzed the impact of that work and distilled six guiding principles as a framework for designing culturally competent care. Through patient stories, research insights, and case studies, I’ll share practical principles and tactics that healthcare innovators and designers can employ when serving individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds.

1. A FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGNING
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE
BENJAMIN TINGEY

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3. The ability of systems to provide care to patients
with diverse values, beliefs, and behaviors,
including the tailoring of health care delivery to
meet patients’ social, cultural, and linguistic needs.
Becoming a Culturally Competent Health Care Organization. AHA/HRET Guides, 2013.
CULTURAL COMPETENCY
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4. Why is cultural competency important?
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5. CASE STUDIES
PRINCIPLES
CALL TO ACTION
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6. Nuestra Clínica PeopleFirst CLT
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7. FOUR PRINCIPLES
FOR CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE
Seek first to understand, then to be understood1
Design with, not for2
Prototype and test3
Cross the “O” gap4
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8. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
People start to heal the moment they feel heard.
CHERYL RICHARDSON
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9. “We need to invent a
new and radical form
of collaboration that
blurs the boundaries
between the creators
and the consumers.
It’s not ‘us versus
them’ or even ‘us on
behalf of them.’ It has
to be ‘us with them.’”
TIM BROWN
CEO and President, IDEO
Design with, not for
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10. Prototype and test
No business model
survives its first contact
with customers.
STEVE BLANK
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11. Cross the “O” Gap
The middle is messy, but that’s also where the magic happens.
BRENÉ BROWN
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12. Examples
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13. FOUR PRINCIPLES
FOR CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE
Seek first to understand, then to be understood1
Design with, not for2
Prototype and test3
Cross the “O” gap4
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15. Thank you
benjamin.tingey@atriumhealth.org
@TheBenReport
linkedin.com/in/benjamintingey/