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Kaiser Permanente National
Program:
Enhancing Culturally Competent Care to Specific Populations
Kaiser Permanente is developing handbooks for providers that describe
the population characteristics, health beliefs, and specific health needs
of Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans and other populations comprising
the health plan membership.
Each handbook is sponsored by a physician "champion" from the
ethnic/cultural group upon which the book is focused. This Kaiser Permanente
physician leads a team of researchers, writers and reviewer physicians in
the production of the handbook. The process is coordinated by the Series
Editor, who is a medical anthropologist employed by Kaiser Permanente.
The handbooks are in easy-to-read format and present demographic characteristics
of the population, health beliefs, risk factors and epidemiological data.
In addition, the handbooks describe the implications of this data and information
for providers serving the plan's diverse membership. The handbook on the
Latino population was completed in 1996. Work is currently in progress on
the African American handbook, to be completed by late Spring, 1998, and
the Asian handbook, to be completed by Fall, 1998.
Upon completion, the handbooks are distributed to Kaiser Permanente Divisions
throughout the nation. Each Division is responsible for a plan for distribution
of the handbooks to their physicians and other health care personnel. In
Northern California, distribution was accompanied by a distance learning
video lecture through teleconference facilities. In Southern California,
Continuing Medical Education and Grand Rounds presentations are providing
context for the handbook.
Contact Information:
Jean Gilbert, Ph.D.
Series Editor, Organization Performance
Kaiser Permanente California
393 East Walnut Street, LR-6
Pasadena, CA 91188-8361.
Phone: 818-564-3743. Fax: 818-564-3747.
E-mail: Jean.Gilbert@kp.org |
