Cultural Nuances of Correctional Institutes and Their Impact on Healthcare

As a leading healthcare provider in correctional institutes, we strive to actively redefine what healthcare looks like through compassion and professionalism. As we serve the populations of the Southwest, we've found one thing to be indispensable: culturally competent care. 

Why Cultural Awareness Matters

A healthcare provider run by experienced clinical members, RHS’ policies and initiatives are guided by professionalism, informed by leadership with decades of boots-on-the-ground experience. One lesson that's emerged from this experience is the importance of culturally competent care. Staff that understand their patients' backgrounds are more able to identify any cultural barriers to care. By establishing an environment where our workers function with compassion and cultural sensitivity, RHS is a leader in the healthcare field with its patient-centered approach.

Ensuring Cultural Sensitivity

Compassion is woven into the fabric of the company. One of the ways we champion this is through our local hiring model. As Roadrunner expands throughout New Mexico and the surrounding Southwest, we know that different communities have specific stories. We intentionally source qualified healthcare providers from the very communities they intend to serve. We do this with the understanding that local healthcare providers may work with fewer biases than those without any connection to the local community.

Benefits of Cultural Competence

Understanding the nuances of patients' cultural perspectives and backgrounds can vastly improve their care level. Some benefits of this are: 

• increased trust
• increased mutual respect between patients and healthcare workers
• more effective and relevant patient care

The Dangers of Neglect

Cultural competency in healthcare addresses the differences between different racial and cultural groups. It can help all patients receive the care they need to pursue healthy lives. Aside from looking at the benefits of culturally sensitive care, Roadrunner Health Services is acutely aware of the dangers that neglect can lead to. For example, different customs or a lack of language accessibility can lead to confusion or deteriorated trust between the provider and the patient, leading to inequitable care.

If healthcare providers don't understand the difference between themselves and their patients, they might unintentionally provide less-than-optimal quality of health services. That's why we intentionally staff our facilities with healthcare workers who have a local understanding: to help ensure everyone gets the best medical treatment.

Supported Staff Equals Supported Patients

In this line of work, we know that culturally competent care demands much from our staff. That's why RHS prioritizes reinvesting in our team by offering continuing education opportunities and competitive compensation and benefits. Backed by this experienced and motivated team, RHS’s goal is to give facility managers better options to choose from when it comes to healthcare. It is our view that efficiency does not need to be sacrificed to make room for empathy. 

 Roadrunner Health Services CEO, David Montoya says, “In all of our work, we never remove humanity from healthcare.”

At Roadrunner Health Services, we believe that cultural competence in healthcare matters. It is essential to be aware of what differences can cause bumps in the road when it comes to patient care, whether those potential pitfalls are linguistic barriers, cultural values, or even differences in how patients view doctor-patient relationships. By hiring locally-sourced staff, we commit to understanding the cultural nuances of all of our patients--leading to the superior care we're known for.

About Roadrunner Health Services: RHS provides high-quality health services in correctional facilities consistent with community best practices to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of the patients. Along with standard healthcare, RHS’ services range from electronic records management to suicide prevention. Roadrunner Health Services has its main office in Albuquerque and provides comprehensive medical and mental health care to facilities across the state, with an aim to expand across the Southwest.