Summarizes the rationale for providing culturally competent health care services and the development of national standards for cultural and linguistic competence in health care delivery. Cultural and linguistic competence on the part of both health care providers and organizations means that the needs of cultural diverse patients not only will be understood, but also will be met effectively and appropriately, which, in turn, can lead to improved patient outcomes. The most significant impact of national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health care is expected to be the replacement of a patchwork of different approaches. The creation of CLAS standards also entails development of a research agenda on cultural competence in health care that examines: (1) the interventions that increase minorities’ or immigrants’ access to health care; (2) the approaches that reduce the incidence of medical errors among minority or immigrant patients; and (3) the relative benefits of reducing emergency room use or increasing preventive services. A final document, to be prepared under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Minority Health and its collaborators, will be a guide for researchers and research funders interested in cultural competence.
