Cultural and language barriers can sometimes prevent clinicians from providing the right kind of care their patient need. Rex Famitangco, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, QLC CM, is the Laboratory Administrative Director of Morrill County Community Hospital and a former Chair of Laboratory Professionals for ASCP. Here, he shares his thoughts on what we can do to improve cultural competency and understanding in order to improve patient care.
How does race affect health care?
One’s health shouldn’t depend on the color of your skin or the neighborhood you live in. It is very unfortunate that the crisis of racial disparities in our country’s health care remains a persistent challenge. Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive preventive health services and often receive lower-quality health care; hence, there is so much more to be done in addressing racial health disparities.
In your experience, how do Asian Americans and/or Pacific Islanders interact with health care? What obstacles do they face?
They don’t or rarely interact with health care primarily because of the lack of access to health insurance which is their primary barrier to good health care, lack of language proficiency, lack of familiarity with the U.S. health care system, isolation and lack of transportation. Acculturation is also a major factor, I believe.
How can healthcare providers in the U.S. get a better understanding of cultural needs or differences for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in order to better provide earlier screening and prevention, and better health care overall?
Twenty million people in the U.S. trace their ancestry to Asia and we are the fastest growing racial group in the U.S. which comprises a community of great diversity. There are more than 50 Asian ethnic groups, and each group has different health attitudes, beliefs and health practices. I believe that the development of cultural competence and culturally responsive clinical skills and services is a vital and essential ingredient to decreasing disparities in health care. Cultural competence should be a dynamic and ongoing developmental process that requires commitment. It should begin with cultural awareness and a commitment to understand the role that culture plays in health services. As healthcare workers we should try to understand culture as a basis for understanding others. We must cultivate the willingness and ability to acquire knowledge of our patient’s culture. This involves learning about their beliefs, values, and attitudes toward health.
As an Asian American, what challenges have you encountered around increasing diversity and inclusion in the laboratory?
Communication is the number one challenge with a diverse workforce. When you have a diverse workforce, communication between team members can be challenging. English might not be their first language and a language barrier could mean that team members ineffectively communicate or failure to fully comprehend instructions.
Hostility [is a challenge] when employees will base their decisions and judgements on unconscious biases despite their best intentions. Distrust can arise as employees doubt each other’s ability to do their jobs. “They don’t know what they’re doing,” is a common thought.
What impact has the recent increase in violence against Asian Americans had on health care?
With the CoVID-19 pandemic and reports of the sharp increase in racist verbal abuse and physical attacks during the pandemic and as a member of Asian American Community, I am now experiencing a higher level of anxiety, especially when we travel to a bigger cities or urban areas. There’s always the fear of a possible racist verbal abuse or physical attack to me and/or my family. With this said, as a healthcare worker, we know that when an individual experiences racial trauma, it can lead to a host of mental health issues, increased anxiety, depression, trouble eating or sleeping. We are a high-risk group when it comes to mental health especially with this pandemic.
This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length
To read more Q&As with Asian American and Pacific Islander members of the laboratory, click
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