The relationship between drivers and policy in the implementation of cultural competency training in health care

In recent years, cultural competence has appeared on the agendas of the medical profession as well as other health care providers. Through semistructured interviews with staff at different types of health care institutions, we explored the motivation for and barriers against the implementation of cultural competence training. The findings show that while some progress has been made, there is still work to be done in making cultural competency an integral part of the organizational fabric of health care. National organizations need to consider their leadership role in helping health care organizations translate broad statements of cultural competence into meaningful action.