title: Cultural competency in healthcare: learning across boundaries.
abstract: During 2006-2007, 1 was fortunate to study and work as a Fulbright Scholar at the Institute for Professionalism and Ethical Practice, Children's Hospital, Boston. As part of my Fulbright experience in the United States, 1 collaboratively developed a cross-cultural educational experience between the faculty of the Institute of Professionalism and Ethical Practice and of the Chair of Medical Psychology, San Paolo Hospital, Milan to explore how patient-centered care is interpreted and enacted across cultures. Both groups wrote a patient-centered dialogue based on the same clinical scenario. Dialogues were exchanged and each group commented on the other's dialogue during a videoconference. Both groups identified responding to the patient's illness experience and emotions as central to patient-centeredness, while patient autonomy was understood differently. Constructing an ideal patient-centered dialogue and the discussion with a group of another culture enabled participants to become more aware of their implicit assumptions about patient-centeredness. This experience helped both groups to better understand our 'blind spots' and enhance our cultural humility. It was thanks to the 'other' that we ultimately learned more about ourselves.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lamiani
mesh_terms: D001900:Boston; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004501:Education, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations