Cultural Competency Training for Physicians
Author Information
Author(s): Thom David H, Tirado Miguel D, Woon Tommy L, McBride Melen R
Primary Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Hypothesis
Does cultural competency training for physicians improve patient-reported outcomes?
Conclusion
The study found no measurable impact of physician training on patient-reported and disease-specific outcomes.
Supporting Evidence
- The study involved 53 primary care physicians and 429 patients.
- Patients completed surveys measuring physician culturally competent behaviors.
- Training was provided at two of the four practice sites.
- Feedback was given to physicians based on aggregated cultural competency scores.
Takeaway
The study tried to teach doctors how to better understand their patients' cultures, but it didn't really change how patients felt about their care.
Methodology
The study involved training physicians at two sites and comparing outcomes with a feedback-only group across four practice sites.
Potential Biases
The study may have been biased against finding an effect due to providing feedback to both groups.
Limitations
The training was relatively brief and lacked institutional support, which may have limited its effectiveness.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 53 physicians and 429 patients, with a mean age of 60.1 years; 72% were White, and 34 spoke Spanish.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = NS for all
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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