Improving cultural competency among anesthesiology residents via virtual interactions with Hispanic standardized patients

Abstract

Hispanics/Latinos comprise about 15% of the US population and are the fastest growing minority in America. In Georgia, however, Hispanics represent only about 3% of the population, and health professionals training in the state may have few opportunities to interact with Hispanic patients. Language and cultural barriers, lack of health insurance, and so on, can lead to health disparities. Improved cultural competence among health care professionals can help to reverse such disparities. As such, the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University (MCG) has made it a priority to improve the cultural competency of its allied health, dental, medical and nursing students through its Quality Enhancement Plan. Similarly, the anesthesiology department is planning a project in which residents will interview the standardized patient remotely via Skype and webcams, in a manner similar to the telemedicine model, then receive immediate feedback from the SP and faculty member.