Schirber Lecture will discuss the impact of culture on health care

David Hunt will deliver the first of two 2017 Schirber Lectures at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at the President’s Dining Room, Gorecki Center, College of Saint Benedict.

Hunt, who is president and CEO of Critical Measures, LLC, will speak on “The Impact of Culture on Health Care – Striving for Inclusive Practices.”

The lecture is specifically geared to students who are pre-med, or are interested in a health career. The event is now full. No additional registrations are being accepted.

Hunt will discuss how three demographic trends (race, immigration and new cultural influences) are changing the face of American health care.

In particular, Hunt will explore critical current issues such as racial and ethnic disparities in patient outcomes; providing language access for Limited English Proficient and deaf and hard of hearing patients; and the emerging discipline of global or cross-cultural medicine as it affects immigrants, refugees and international travelers (including Americans who travel abroad and return with diseases of foreign origin).

Along the way, attendees will understand 10 core, cross-cultural differences that can affect the patient provider relationship. Finally, Hunt will explore the many ways in which culture affects health care. 

Critical Measures is a national management consulting and training firm that specializes in cross-cultural health care. In 2015, the American Hospital Association selected Critical Measures as its national consultant for the #123forEquity Campaign to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association also selected Critical Measures as its national consultant in the area of cultural competence.

The Schirber endowed scholarship and pre-med fund at Saint John’s University was established by Martin ’42 and Rose Marie Schirber of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Martin Schirber practiced medicine in Grand Rapids during most of his medical career. A number of their sons also graduated from or attended Saint John's.

The purpose of this endowed fund is to provide support for a lecture program intended for students in the health sciences but open to all. One lecture focuses on medical ethics from a pro-life perspective and the other focuses on alcoholism and recovery each year.

The next Schirber Lecture is April 24, when Annetta Sanow Sutton, CEO and founder of Five Point Consulting, will speak on “Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction: Impact on Students, Families, Communities, Institutions and Health Care (Anyone you Know?).”