Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:The Culture of Health Care
Unit:An Overview of the Culture of Health Care
Lecture:What is meant by "the culture of health care"
Slide content:Defining Terms: Culture Culture refers to integrated patterns of human behavior that include the language, thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. (U.S. HHS Office of Minority Health, 2005) A collective expression for all behavior patterns acquired and socially transmitted through symbols. Culture includes customs, traditions, and language. (National Library of Medicine MeSH, 2011) 11
Slide notes:Finally we need to identify a definition of culture. Well refine our thinking about the concept of culture in a subsequent lecture, but for now we can use the definition provided by the Office of Minority Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. According to their definition, [quote]culture refers to integrated patterns of human behavior that include the language, thought, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. [end quote] This is considered the conventional and historic definition that, until recently, most people have worked with. Another useful definition is this one from the Medical Subject Headings index of the National Library of Medicine. According to this definition, culture is [quote]a collective expression for all behavior patterns acquired and socially transmitted through symbols. Culture includes customs, traditions, and language.[end quote] Both these definitions help us think about what we must pay attention to if we are to study and understand health care culture. 11