Optimizing healthcare through alignment and nurturing across cultures (OHANA)

The increasing cultural diversity of healthcare systems requires strategies that support effective communication and equitable care for patients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Cultural concordance refers to situations in which patients and healthcare professionals share relevant cultural or linguistic characteristics that may facilitate communication and mutual understanding. In some healthcare organizations, this concept has been operationalized through organizational strategies aimed at aligning patients with healthcare professionals who share similar cultural or linguistic backgrounds. However, limited research has explored how these initiatives are experienced in clinical practice. The OHANA (Optimizing Healthcare through Alignment and Nurturing Across cultures) protocol was developed to investigate experiences of culturally concordant care within healthcare organizations that have implemented cultural concordance systems. This multicenter qualitative study, coordinated by the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS in Rome in collaboration with several Italian hospitals, will explore the perspectives of both healthcare professionals and patients. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis to identify themes related to communication, perceived benefits, and challenges associated with culturally concordant care. The findings are expected to inform strategies to support culturally responsive healthcare. Key points:▪Multicenter qualitative study protocol exploring experiences of culturally concordant care in hospital settings.▪Investigation of perspectives from both healthcare professionals and patients involved in cultural concordance systems.▪Use of semi-structured interviews and inductive qualitative content analysis to examine how culturally concordant care is experienced in clinical practice.