Assessing the Impact of Cultural Competency Training Using Participatory Quality Improvement Methods

The primary aim of this Aetna Foundation-funded study was to assess whether integrating a cultural competency training program into ongoing quality improvement activities at two large urban family practices affiliated with a medical school would result in: improved physician knowledge, skills, attitudes, and comfort levels relating to the care of patients from diverse backgrounds; and increased patient satisfaction with cross-cultural primary care clinical encounters. The study found that the cultural competency training program effectively increased physicians' self-perceived cultural competence knowledge, and increased patient satisfaction. The website contains the assessment tools the researchers used to asses the organization's cultural competence.