AMA Wire

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012

For Minority Physicians

New video focuses on culture, language and health literacy

New video focuses on culture, language and health literacy

A new video discussing how culture, language and health literacy are important to effective health communication has been released by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a sister agency to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The video also describes HRSA's free online course, "Effective Communication Tools for Health Care Professionals."

Access the video "How Effective Healthcare Communication Contributes to Health Equity." Take the course on "Effective Communication Tools for Health Care Professionals."

You can find additional links to health literacy and cultural competence resources on the AHRQ website.

The AMA also offers a number of tools to advance health literacy in patients, including a health literacy kit.

Principles established to help physician employees

A new set of principles from the AMA aims to help physicians, those who employ physicians and their respective advisors identify and address some of the unique challenges employment presents to professionalism and the practice of medicine.

The AMA House of Delegates adopted the principles in November during its Interim Meeting.

"The principles for physician employment provide a broad framework to help guide physicians and their employers as they collaborate to provide safe, high-quality and cost-effective patient care," AMA Board of Trustees member Joseph P. Annis, MD, said. "The guidelines reinforce that patients' welfare must take priority in any situation where the interests of physicians and employers conflict."

The AMA also offers a variety of resources to meet the needs of employed physicians, a growing segment of the profession.