A push for cultural competency in Illinois healthcare

In this photo taken April, 7, 2011 in, Cynthia Phillips, 55, one of the last seven long-term patients at Oak Forest Hospital in Oak Forest, Ill., has her hair done by a volunteer as she lays in the bed where she has lived for the past 10 years. In a bid to cut costs, Cook County plans to close the hospital in Chicagos south suburbs later this year. If it closes, Phillips will have to move to a nursing home. Studies examining nursing home care for patients like Yanul show the amount of time nurses spend with patients is the key to preventing potentially deadly problems. An analysis of federal data last year found Illinois’ for-profit nursing homes had the lowest average staffing level in the nation. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons

Advocates are pushing for cultural competency in healthcare in Illinois

Marginalized groups often feel overlooked, ignored and mistreated in healthcare settings. Could training for doctors help?

In this photo taken April, 7, 2011 in, Cynthia Phillips, 55, one of the last seven long-term patients at Oak Forest Hospital in Oak Forest, Ill., has her hair done by a volunteer as she lays in the bed where she has lived for the past 10 years. In a bid to cut costs, Cook County plans to close the hospital in Chicagos south suburbs later this year. If it closes, Phillips will have to move to a nursing home. Studies examining nursing home care for patients like Yanul show the amount of time nurses spend with patients is the key to preventing potentially deadly problems. An analysis of federal data last year found Illinois’ for-profit nursing homes had the lowest average staffing level in the nation. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

M. Spencer Green

By Michael Liptrot

Healthcare has many long-standing disparities when it comes to allocation of resources, providing the best care to everyone and representation in providers. These systemic factors can contribute to overarching gaps between providers and patients.

Reset speaks to advocates on why they believe mandated cultural competency training for doctors could help address these issues.

GUESTS: Neelam Dhadankar, healthcare policy analyst at Access Living
Mike Ziri, director of public policy for Equality Illinois