Importance Of Diversity In Healthcare

Diversity Matters in Healthcare The U.S. population is becoming more ethnically and religiously diverse every day. The variety of cultures currently existing in the U.S. creates challenges, such as language barriers, for the healthcare industry. Healthcare organizations should be aware of the cultures they are serving because cultural competence is crucial to the delivery of thorough and proper patient care. Clinicians and non-clinical staff must understand what is going on with each patient in order to meet their healthcare needs. Administrators are responsible for implementing policies and procedures in their organizations that will address any cultural issues that develop in patient care processes (Wilson-Stronks et al., 2008). As a leader, I will be responsible for preparing my staff and employees to address cultural barriers that may arise in the organization. Clinicians often overlook the importance of cultural competence in healthcare because they have a stronger focus on the actual care they are providing to patients. I will strive towards increasing staff awareness of diversity by …show more content…
healthcare system, about 10 percent of healthcare resources are going to waste (“Healthcare fraud and abuse,” 2004). Not only does fraud cause financial harm to payers, but it may also result in physical harm to patients. Common occurrences of fraud in healthcare include physicians performing unnecessary tests or treatments, and the submissions of false claims to health plans to receive greater amounts in reimbursements. The act of a physician providing a non-beneficial form of treatment to a patient puts that patient at risk for adverse side effects or even death. Preventing staff and employees of healthcare organizations from committing fraud should be a top priority for all healthcare administrators. Healthcare administrators must also know how to address fraudulent cases that occur within their