Measuring Care Coordination in Medical Homes - The Commonwealth Fund

Measuring Care Coordination in Medical Homes - The Commonwealth Fund

Public Health Project Strategic Development

Our Blog is all about cultural competency and public health, we care to share will all our readers and followers in the public health arena to think about the following:

If you are a project director or the person leading a public health initiative at your organization, what should you know? There are a few things that I have learned through out many years as a public health consultant. Always look for new opportunities within the project that you are managing. Grantors want to know that you are identifying potential new gaps or opportunities. The grantor also wants to know that you are thinking about sustainability from the very early steps of the project. Keep a journal of all your core activities, any new models that you develop. Also keep track of your failures and successes as part of lessons learned.

If you are interested in getting more information about how to develop and implement a successful project, contact me at helen@daoconsultingservices.com

Helen Dao, MHA

Cultural Knowledge a Key Competency in Care Coordination

A Program Created for Care Coordinators

At DAO we understand how important it is to have well-trained staff responsible for coordinating all the patient/consumer’s health care needs. Care coordination is the centerpiece of individual and family access and continuity of optimal health care services.

We implement a pioneering cultural and linguistic competence approach that goes beyond the one-dimensional instructional model. Our proven model has helped health care organizations, social service organizations and other community-based organizations achieve effective care coordination strategies. Our model is backed by cultural and health science knowledge, and promotes cognitive learning (critical thinking about the benefits of intercultural communication) and affective learning (creating values and behavior that illustrate intercultural communication).

We not only use proven models and strategies, we integrate lessons learned from the field and actual case studies.

For more information about this program, please go to:

http://daoconsultingservices.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22:a-program-created-for-care-coordinators&catid=2:latest-news

Helen Dao, MHA

Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc.: Series: Cultural Knowledge a Key Competency in Car...

Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc.: Series: Cultural Knowledge a Key Competency in Car...: In the next series we will focus on individual strategies that will support and promote cognitive learning and affective learning in order ...

Series: Cultural Knowledge a Key Competency in Care Coordination Part II

In the next series we will focus on individual strategies that will support and promote cognitive
learning and affective learning in order to create a strong knowledge of cultural competence as part of care coordination competency. 

We have identified eight main areas for care coordinators to focus on in order to enhance their competency in cultural competence.

1. The Basics cultural competency 
2. Understanding cultural geography and the influence of sub-cultures
3. Understanding families cultural perception and beliefs toward specific illnesses 
4. Socioeconomic factors 
5. Linguistic factors: low literacy and limited English proficiency
6. Cultural nuances/differences
7. Creating a framework for a care plan that meets health history, family dynamics, traditional          and non-traditional treatments, social, educational, quality of life, safety, and culture 
8. Identifying and access internal and external resources

It is often generalized that individuals from the same country and population are the same in the context of cultures, values,  beliefs, practices, and traditions.  This is a misconception that often goes unaddressed.  Think for a moment how United States citizens living in the South are categorized in compares to people from the East, New York City.  There tend to be a perception of people living in this metropolitan are as not having tolerance for slow pace environment and not been welcoming.  If we take a poll right now, chances are that the majority will agree to this perception.  In all true, we have sub-cultures in the United States that is not associated to skin color, language, and/or place of birth.   It is related  to the demographic make-up of different states, regions, and cities.   The same applies to people from Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and other parts of the world.  There are many different cultures within a single population and it is important to understand this in order to help facilitate cross-cultural communication between patient and provider. 

In the next several posts, we will address in more details each of these eight areas.

Author

Helen E. Dao is the President and CEO at her company Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc. (www.daoconsultingservices.com) Helen has been working on cultural diversity and public health strategies development for 11 years.  You can follow her on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/daoconsulting  and @ her blog http://daoconsultingservices.blogspot.com/

DAO in the News!

Just want to share with our readers on some of the ongoing work that we are doing on cultural competence, locally and nationally.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/131732788_Resident_spreads_message_of__cultural_competence_.html?c=y&page=1


Helen Dao, MHA

Healthcare & Technology: Healthcare Analytics: The Impact of Geography on Illness

This is a very interesting short article and video describing "evidence based" of environment and health impact.

Healthcare & Technology: Healthcare Analytics: The Impact of Geography on Illness

Helen Dao, MHA

Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc.: Care Coordination Series - Part I

Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc.: Care Coordination Series - Part I

Care Coordination Series - Part I

Cultural Knowledge a Key Competency in Care Coordination Part I

We begin this series by highlighting the function of care coordination.  A care coordinator coordinates and links patients to services and resources in a cohesive and coordinated manner to achieve optimal and continues health care.

Extensive literature describes care coordination as a core component of patient-centered approach by providing coordination of care, referral and follow-up, and quality improvement driven. 

Many initiatives are in progress at the local, state, and federal level with the single goal of containing health care cost.  Patient-centered medical home and health home are some of those initiatives, no matter what we call it; it boils down to the provision of patient-centered care though care coordination. 

As many literature reviews show it, care coordination is the key to coordinate and monitor patient’s access, services, and monitoring of health care services.

One main factor that needs to be considered is the appropriate training of care coordinators; it can be one individual or the entire care team.  No matter which model is used, care coordination should emphasize cultural understanding and strategies for being more effective while working with multicultural populations.

Here are some tips:

•                Identify the population that you are or will work with?

•                Identify for sub-cultures within a single population

•                Identify potential cultural and linguistic barriers 

•                Identify health literature and literacy concerns

•                Be aware of cultural nuances

•                Understand family's dynamics within the culture context

•                Understand families cultural perception and beliefs toward specific illnesses

•                Create a framework for a care plan that meets health history, family dynamics, traditional           and non-traditional treatments, social, educational, quality of life, safety, and culture.

•                Identify and access internal and external resources

•                Use simple language when communicating medical definitions and information

There are many other elements that we can identify when framing a care coordinator competencies.  But if you follow the above framework, it will get you started on the right path.

Author

Helen E. Dao is the President and CEO at her company Dao Management Consulting Services, Inc. (www.daoconsultingservices.com) Helen has been working on cultural diversity and public health strategies development for 11 years.  You can follow her on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/daoconsulting  and @ her blog http://daoconsultingservices.blogspot.com/

 

October: Celebrating Health Literacy

In doing literature review on health literacy, I realized this is a fairly new concept and arena in public health education.  October is Health Literacy month, check this link to a very good article that expands on health literacy concept, health promotion, and health outcomes.
http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/15/3/259.full


Helen Dao, MHA