Quality health care is one of the most important factors in how individuals perceive their quality of life. In some countries, health care is a major political issue, along with the economy. Globally, all health economies are facing similar challenges. Because advances in technology are helping people to live longer and health care costs have been rising steadily, there has been an increasing demand for changes to health care delivery in the United States. Organizations face many challenges while learning to adapt to a rapidly changing health care environment.
Health care organizations are employing technologies, such as electronic medical records and databases, to support the collection of voluminous health information. Value-based purchasing requires health care providers to understand the importance of discharge planning and care transition. Leadership must work closely with, and confront the challenges of, population health management, data analytics, and acquiring and implementing the right technologies. Organizations confront challenges posed by a more consumer-driven system in which they “demand greater transparency, better communication, and more information about value”.
A culturally competent health care system is one that can acknowledge the importance of culture as it reflects on the dynamics of the organization. This can be demonstrated by the cultural knowledge of the staff. The organization and its leaders must recognize the importance of being culturally diverse in the services and care provided. The organization must also acknowledge that a culturally competent system is “built on an awareness of the integration and interaction of health beliefs and behaviors, disease prevalence and incidence, and treatment outcomes for different patient populations”