The client that made me a better coach

Plus, three mindset shifts for addressing implicit bias in healthcare

I fully grasped the significance of cultural competence in healthcare when I encountered Julia, a remarkable client who reshaped my perspective forever. Julia sought my guidance as a health coach after stumbling upon one of my online meal-prepping challenges. In our initial conversation, she shared her reason for selecting me as her coach. To her, I wasn't just another health advisor; I represented familiarity and understanding. I was a Black woman, and she knew that, unlike others who dismissed her before, I wouldn’t do that. 

Working with Julia all those years ago served me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I founded Enhance Black Women’s Health in 2023. It was through working with Julia that it began to become abundantly clear the immense value of acknowledging and respecting an individual's cultural background.

While it might seem counterintuitive, delivering equal care differs from providing equitable care. Equal care ignores the nuanced experiences that many people, especially Black women, have in healthcare. Equitable care acknowledges that adequate care is tailored to their unique experiences. Delivering equitable care requires that healthcare providers are culturally competent. 

The American Psychological Association defines cultural competence as the ability to recognize the diversity between and within cultures so that you can effectively collaborate with individuals and adapt personal behaviors and practices accordingly. 

Cultural competence is a must in healthcare settings. It’s also a cornerstone of compassionate care as it can profoundly impact patient outcomes and satisfaction. As I discussed last week regarding implicit bias in healthcare, our health isn’t solely up to us. Instead, it is often the result of systemic issues that impact healthcare access and the quality of care we receive. As cultural competencies play a pivotal role in addressing implicit bias within healthcare, I wanted to share three mindset shifts that helped me become a more culturally competent providers. 

Mindset Shift #1: Providers Must Acknowledge the Influence of Culture 

Whether or not we want to admit it, each patient's journey is shaped by their cultural identity and background. Healthcare providers must first acknowledge the influence of culture on their patient's and client's decision-making processes. For instance, when I worked with Julia, I didn’t want to assume she was the primary cook in her family or the type of food she tended to eat. Instead, I asked open-ended questions that gave me insights into her lifestyle to make my nutritional recommendations culturally relevant. Whether a health coach or a physician, you must embrace cultural competence. Doing so can help foster trust and rapport with your patients and clients, which is necessary for them to comply more with your recommendations.

Mindset Shift #2: Providers Must Provide the Information Needed to Make Informed Decisions 

When I worked with Julia, she also worked with two other health coaches, who provided her with information that often conflicted with what I was telling her. Therefore, I needed to refrain from debating which of us was right. Instead, I gave her the information she needed to decide which route she would choose. Because it was tailored to her, she often chose to follow my recommendations. However, even when she didn’t, she did so, knowing there was an alternative. Thus, providing our patients and clients with unbiased information is critical, as it allows them to be more informed about their health choices and become more active participants in their care journey. 

Mindset Shift #3: Providers Must Be Able to Adapt to Cultural Needs

I genuinely believe that adaptability is the hallmark of culturally competent care. When we are adaptable, we can recognize the unique needs and preferences of the diverse populations that we work with. For example, working with Julia was my first time with a client with unique health needs. While this is something I know all too well now that I have my autoimmune conditions, it was a complete unknown for me at the time. Being flexible in the recommendations I shared was vital as I wanted to honor Julia’s cultural dishes while ensuring we adapted them to some unique health needs. Whether adjusting dietary recommendations to align with cultural preferences or accommodating religious practices in treatment plans, cultural competence enables providers to deliver genuinely patient-centered and inclusive care.

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Thus, cultural competence is a powerful strategy for addressing implicit bias in healthcare and fostering equitable care environments. By embracing cultural diversity, healthcare providers can bridge gaps in understanding, empower patients to make informed decisions, and deliver respectful and inclusive care of diverse backgrounds.

As we continue our journey towards cultural competence and inclusivity in healthcare, I invite you to join the Enhance Black Women's Health community. Subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated on the latest insights, advocacy efforts, and resources dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in healthcare. Together, we can cultivate a healthcare landscape that celebrates and honors the richness of every individual's cultural identity.