Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Healthcare: The Case of Alabama General Hospitals‪.‬

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As the nation's foreign-born population continues to increase, the importance of understanding cultural, ethnic, and religious differences to combat racial/ethnic disparities in access to and utilization of healthcare services intensifies. In Alabama, specifically, the shifting migration patterns and the growth of the foreign-born population have altered the state's demographics, introducing new cultures and languages to this traditionally biracial state. Because Alabama general hospitals are not immune to the widespread cost, access, and quality paradox that plagues every healthcare organization, they too must consider the value of cultural and linguistic competence in providing high-quality, cost-effective care.