The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) is accredited by the California Medical Association (CMA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. COEH and the CMA believes cultural and linguistic competencies are essential to providing quality and accessible care, and acknowledges that society has embedded and endemic structural racism and biases that affect the care that an individual receives.
Definitions
Cultural and Linguistic Competency (CLC)
The ability and readiness of health care providers and organizations to humbly and respectfully demonstrate, effectively communicate, and tailor delivery of care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, identities and behaviors, in order to meet social, cultural and linguistic needs as they relate to patient health.
Implicit Bias (IB)
The attitudes, stereotypes and feelings, either positive or negative, that affect our understanding, actions and decisions without conscious knowledge or control. Implicit bias is a universal phenomenon. When negative, implicit bias often contributes to unequal treatment and disparities in diagnosis, treatment decisions, levels of care and health care outcomes of people based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and other characteristics.