Looking at the Numbers

Providers assess themselves against CLAS standards

Stratis Health worked with 23 adult primary care clinics across Minnesota—both urban and rural—to reduce language and cultural barriers to effective health care by engaging physicians and staff to better understand the changing demographics of their patient base and to build more culturally relevant approaches to care delivery into their practices.

• Assessed how well they were addressing the 14 national Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards—baseline and remeasurement
• Conducted training for their physicians, nurses, and office staff
• Customized demographic information for their community/region regarding the changing nature of the populations they are and will be serving
• Provided ongoing communication and technical assistance
  

Results: Statistically significant performance improvement on all 14 national CLAS standards, between baseline and re-measurement, by the 23 participating clinics. (CMS Medicare QIO contract 2005-2008)

With support from UCare, we are currently providing technical assistance to another group of clinics and a public health agency to help them enhance their culturally competence.

Stratis Health conducts analytical work in support of assessing and improving health care quality and patient safety.