Health Plans With Innovative Strategies for Multicultural Care Invited to Apply For NCQA Awards
Plans with initiatives that break down cultural, linguistic barriers to be honored in fall; initiative supported by grant from The California Endowment
WASHINGTON—The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today called for health plans that have undertaken innovative approaches in culturally and linguistically appropriate health care service (CLAS) to apply for its Recognizing Innovations in Multicultural Health Care awards program. Supported by a grant from The California Endowment, the program aims to recognize and disseminate innovative practices related to culturally appropriate health care services and reducing health care disparities.
Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services has broad implications for not just the quality of care, but also its financing and ethics. Minorities currently comprise approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population; that proportion is expected to double within 50 years. Many studies have identified persistent disparities in care between minority and non-minority patients. However, the evidence base surrounding methods to improve CLAS and reduce disparities is less well-developed. NCQA’s awards program seeks to augment the current body of knowledge by disseminating leading-edge practices to a broad audience.
“Good communication promotes better, more effective care,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “But if communication is lost, or a patient’s cultural needs aren’t understood or addressed, the system isn’t delivering the best care possible. That’s the importance of multicultural care: it builds equity into the concept of quality.”
The awards program for health plans, dubbed Recognizing Innovations in Multicultural Health Care, highlights plans that have implemented innovative strategies and practices designed to promote CLAS and address disparities in care. Last year, NCQA recognized 10 plans for their leadership and innovation in promoting CLAS and their work in targeting disparities in care. A report detailing their efforts, Innovative Practices in Multicultural Health Care, is available at www.ncqa.org/CLAS.aspx.
A parallel program offers technical assistance and grants to small primary care physician practices to implement quality improvement programs to address CLAS and disparities in the physician office setting. Results from this program will provide insight into the resources and support needed for small practices to make and sustain changes to better serve minority patients.
Winners of the 2007 awards program will be honored at a conference to be held in Washington, D.C. in November and detailed in an Innovative Practices Report. Highlighted initiatives will serve as examples of feasible activities and important lessons learned in addressing disparities. The practices discussed at the conference will inform health care thought leaders and guide future development of standards and measures in this area for health plans and physician practices.
To apply for the 2007 Innovations in Multicultural Health Care Award, or for more information about NCQA’s work with CLAS and disparities, visit NCQA’s Web site at www.ncqa.org/CLAS.aspx or send an e-mail to CLASAwards@ncqa.org.
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA is the nation’s leading developer of health care evaluation tools including health plan accreditation, physician recognition and organization certification. NCQA also is responsible for the evolution of HEDIS®, the most widely used set of health care performance measures. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health choices. For more information, visit http://www.ncqa.org/.
The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, The Endowment has regional offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno and San Diego, with program staff working throughout the state. The Endowment makes grants to organizations and institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of the people of California. To date, The Endowment has awarded more than 7,800 grants across California totaling approximately $1.6 billion. For more information, visit The Endowment’s Web site at http://www.calendow.org/.
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