Horner RD et al.  Changing Healthcare Professionals' Behaviors to Eliminate Disparities in Healthcare:  What Do We Know? How Might We Proceed? The American Journal of Managed Care. September 2004; 10: SP 12 - 19.
There is ample evidence of disparities in health conditions and healthcare utilization among US minority populations.  The Working Group on Changing Health Care Professionals' Behavior made recommendations, with the view that most disparities in healthcare utilization are due to the professionals' lack of cultural competence.  Recommendations: 1.  training healthcare professionals in cultural competence as a requirement of professional certification; 2.  continue training in cultural competence during practice for all professionals involved in patient care;  3.  encouraging exploration of one's own biases toward individuals of different races, ethnic backgrounds, social classes, and language groups;  4.  adjust the curriculum to address knowledge, attitudes and skills for cultural competence;  5. ongoing evaluation of the training;  6.  institutional monitoring of healthcare process and outcomes related to race, ethnicity, non-English-language status, and patient social class;  7.  documentation of cultural competence during the certification/recertification process through the various certification and accreditation organizations; 8.  maintain diversity on governing boards of healthcare facilities;  9. improving the diversity of the healthcare workforce through effective recruitment, training and support of minority students.