The Challenge of Serving and Working with Diverse Populations in American Hospitals

Americans can take some pride in the fact that attaining what the medical profession calls "cultural competency" is a goal of most health care institutions. However, achieving this goal in today's health care environment, filled with diverse patient and provider populations, is no easy task. In addition to the complications imposed by the proliferation of managed health care, American hospitals are increasingly being staffed by and serving diverse populations. This creates the ideal breeding ground for conflict and misunderstanding, which can result in tension among the staff and inferior patient care.