Latinos En Optometry and VSP Vision Launch New Series Focused on Enhancing Cultural Competency

Latinos en Optometry has collaborated with VSP Vision to launch a new blog series called “Cultural Responsiveness.” The initiative seeks to support both existing and prospective practitioners in understanding the importance of healthcare services that are responsive to the social, cultural, and linguistic requirements of patients.

According to Latinos en Optometry, patients and healthcare providers are increasingly likely to enter clinical encounters characterized by an array of cross-cultural needs, perspectives, traditions, values, expectations, and practices.

“A culturally responsive healthcare practice recognizes and addresses the health beliefs, practices, and the language and cultural needs of patients and communities," Diana Canto-Sims, OD, co-founder of Latinos en Optometry, said in a news release. “Optometrists, optical personnel and optometry students must comprehend how diversity impacts care and influences outcomes to ensure optimal vision and eye health for all.”

“Through this collaboration, optometrists can access tools and resources to help strengthen cultural understanding, connection, and communication with their patients to support better health outcomes” said VSP Vision Chief Provider and Industry Solutions Officer Michelle Skinner.

Each month, contributors from within the field of optometry and from other backgrounds will explore subjects that enhance readers’ understanding of cultural competence, its components, and the ways in which current and future practitioners can evaluate and improve their own competencies to more effectively serve their patients and communities.

The blog will be distributed on a monthly basis to members of Latinos en Optometry and will be available at https://latinosenoptometry.org/news/cultural-responsiveness/. Individuals who are not members but would like to receive the complementary blog can subscribe at https://latinosenoptometry.org/newsletter/.