Cultural Competence in Healthcare

Cultural competence in medicine should be fostered in Europe. Health care professionals need to understand the patient's point of view without making assumptions from their own point of view. Yet, we have doctors and nurses who come from various parts of the world treating patients from other parts of the world who don't recognize each other's cultural, ethnic, and religious beliefs.

Many people don't trust western medicine. A patient who believes in the power of herbal medicine is unlikely to take Western medicines prescribed for a serious condition or may at least delay the drugs for a second line remedy - so no improvement is seen. Some women aren't allowed to see doctors or speak of certain conditions. Some religions prescribe the sequence of permitted treatments and others foster belief that mental illness is a divine intervention. Understanding where the person being treated is starting from in their belief system can be pivotal in the outcomes achieved.

A system to educate those interfacing with patients to be aware of potential for bias and misunderstanding should be developed. A serous of modular self-administered webinars and workshops could progress professionals from denial to competence. It could reduce the hospitalisation rate and attendant costs by improving compliance and adherence. It could be included in the ongoing post-doctoral curriculum requirements.