Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives (BHS414)

Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives
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When treating patients, doctors and other medical practitioners have to develop the art and skills required to communicate with their patients. This is more crucial especially where the patients are from different cultural backgrounds (Misra-Hebert & Isaacson, 2012). In most cases, there are subtle differences that occur between different cultures with reference to the cultural beliefs, medical remedies and methods of treating the sick. The Chinese and American cultures for example, are quite different and medical practitioners need to be aware of cross cultural differences that exist and have the skills to manage these differences for a better relation with the patient, and quality health care delivery.
In the second clip, the only aspect that can be depicted to have been well handled with reference to quality cross cultural communication skills is the introduction (Uniteforsight.org, 2014). As the female patient gets into the room, the medical practitioner welcomes the patient and offers him a seat. As they begin to converse the medical practitioner shows little or no signs of understanding the quality of cross cultural communication skills. In the first communication clip however, there are numerous signs of a well versed medical practitioner that understands the quality of cross cultural communication. At first, the male patient is welcomed and offered a seat, which is positive as a conversation starter.
As the patient explains about how he has been on Chinese medicine, the medical practitioner encourages the patient to explain further. This creates comfort in the patients as they are encouraged to self disclose about their previous medical treatment with the traditional medicine. The medical practitioner also demonstrates that they accept the patient’s view on the traditional remedies and the fact that they also work. In an effort to bring the patient to understand the benefits of the alternative modern medicine, the medical practitioner tries to integrate the health beliefs of the Chinese and modern medicine. The medical practitioner in addition also explores understanding of the cultural impact with reference to the two medical alternatives (Misra-Hebert & Isaacson, 2012). She does a good job at accommodating the explanations from the patients while at the same time showing empathy and support.
Cross cultural differences happen to have some very subtle impacts on the level of health care delivery and quality that can be achieved. Medical practitioners need to understand that there are subtle heterogeneity aspects about the different cultures and they form the back bone of communications between the respective cultures. The bottom line is that it is not possible to understand all the cultural aspects of the different cultures that exist. Ideally what the medical practitioners should strive to understand is that there are going to be biases between the different cultures. This means that the health care practitioners should be aware of the likely differences with respect to the culture and the social norms. Patients may feel that their health care...