The Joint Commission plans to change its accreditation standards to address the need for cultural competence in hospital care. It is taking online applications through September 8 for an expert panel to assist with the changes.
The panel, to be funded by the Commonwealth Fund, will last through January 2010 and will explore how diversity, culture, language and health literacy issues can be better incorporated into current Joint Commission standards or drafted into new requirements, the Commission said.
The Commission, in collaboration with the National Health Law Program, also will design an implementation guide to prepare surveyors and accredited hospitals for the release of the new standards on culturally competent care.
The Commission said it will select applicants for the panel with expertise in administration, clinical practice, cultural competence, language access, pastoral care, patient advocacy, patient-centered care, patient safety, patient-provider communication, healthcare policy, quality, research, risk management, social work and underserved populations.
In April, the Commonwealth Fund issued a report on minority care that found physicians often lack the resources to adequately treat Medicaid beneficiaries, many of whom are minorities.
Authors of the study, entitled "Do primary care physicians treating minority patients report problems delivering high-quality care?," concluded that lawmakers should raise payment rates for Medicaid, extend insurance coverage to the uninsured, and increase resource flow to physicians who serve low-income and minority populations.
How do you think the Joint Commission can best address cultural disparities in care? Send your thoughts to Senior Editor Diana Manos at diana.manos@medtechpublishing.com.