ALBANY - When a Muslim woman told Dr. Toni McLaurin of her concerns about being treated by men, the orthopedic surgeon immediately set her at ease.

“Everyone involved in her care (during surgery) was female, and also was careful to keep her covered and be appropriate with her in terms of her modesty,” McLaurin said.

As minority populations grow and more immigrants arrive, such cultural sensitivity is gaining greater attention in an effort to improve health care by improving communication.

Training in what's called culturally competent care is intended to help doctors develop skills to better anticipate and understand patients from different cultures.

“In my own practice, I have seen firsthand the benefits of training our young surgeons to be more sensitive to, and more deeply aware of, diverse backgrounds,” said McLaurin, an assistant professor of orthopedics at New York University. “Physicians who can put their patients at ease and connect with them authentically are more likely to find that their patients follow through with a prescribed treatment.”

Bills that would require cultural competence training for medical licensing or renewal have stalled in New York's Senate and Assembly, but some states have advanced similar measures.

In 2005, New Jersey was the first state to pass a law tying cultural competence education to medical licensing.

California and New Mexico have since enacted bills, while Illinois has legislation pending.

Assemblyman Michael Benjamin sponsored legislation that would require New York doctors to train for cultural competence.

The measure hasn't passed, but the Bronx lawmaker said “it's in my top 10” priorities for the next legislative session.

“We need to get doctors who are white to be more sensitive to minority patients,” he said.

Benjamin said it's also important for doctors to be aware minorities can be more prone to certain diseases.

For example, black women are more than twice as likely to die of cervical cancer than white women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Black women are also more likely to die of breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group, according to the CDC.

“That person is your patient, you have to do the very best you can to help them, to manage their health,” Benjamin said. “We don't want there to be these health disparities among the minority communities.”

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has been making independent efforts to educate its members about cultural awareness with the hope that the issue will spawn nationwide interest and legislation, McLaurin said. The AAOS has created a program to familiarize and raise awareness among doctors about specific beliefs, customs, ethnic, racial and gender-based differences, so they can better meet patient needs.

Patients should inform their doctors of any religious, dietary or privacy requirements they have, according to AAOS.

Patients should also bring a list of all medications they are taking, along with any herbal or traditional remedies they may use, McLaurin said. It's worthwhile to ask for a translator if necessary.

Doctors have responded positively to the education on cultural awareness, McLaurin said.

“I think all physicians are interested in making sure that they continue to be able to communicate with their patients,” he said.

For more information

http://orthoinfo.org/diversity