Fox Chase Cancer Center Hosts 10th Annual Cultural Competence & Awareness in Healthcare Symposium

From left: Veronica Ferreira, MBA, BBA, CMI, Director of Linguistic and Cultural Services, Temple Health; Curtis Miyamoto, MD, Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology and Associate Director for Clinical Services at Fox Chase Cancer Center at Temple University Hospital; Carl A. Sirio, MD, MS, Chief Medical Officer, Temple Health; and Lucia Tono-Ramirez, PhD, JD, MEd, Director, Continuing Medical Education Program, Temple Health

PHILADELPHIA (May 8, 2024) - On April 26, 2024, Fox Chase Cancer Center welcomed staff and faculty from Temple Health to the 10th Annual Cultural Competence & Awareness in Healthcare Symposium in the Center's Leidy Auditorium.

Every year, the symposium focuses on driving equity in healthcare. The goals of the program this year included improving collaboration among healthcare teams; identifying key issues that affect how Muslims access and receive care; examining health disparities faced by the Black population served by Temple Health; and examining key factors that impact the effectiveness and acceptability of healthcare for autistic adults, as well as strategies to promote successful provision of services.

After an introduction by Carl A. Sirio, MD, MS, Chief Medical Officer of Temple Health, awards were presented to recognize 10 years of dedication and service by those involved in planning the symposium: Lucia Tono-Ramirez, PhD, JD, MEd, Director of the Continuing Medical Education Program at Temple Health, and Curtis Miyamoto, MD, Associate Director for Clinical Services at Fox Chase Cancer Center at Temple University Hospital.

"Since its inception in 2013, this annual meeting has been one of the hallmarks of Temple's commitment to providing culturally and linguistically competent care to our very diverse community. Your presence here today is a testament to your desire to provide care at the highest level, not just with medicine but also with communication," said Miyamoto.

"We are thrilled that for 10 years, our symposium has been aimed at equipping staff at Temple Health with the tools needed to better serve our diverse patient population," said Veronica Ferreira, MBA, BBA, CMI, Director of Linguistic and Cultural Services at Temple Health and Co-Chair of the symposium. "By promoting cultural competence and effective communication, we can build a safer health system and meet the needs of patients and their families to ensure safety and quality of care."

Symposium presenters included:

• Deborah Crabbe, MD, FACC, FAHA, FCPP, keynote speaker and Professor of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
• Neva White, DNP, CRNP, CDCES, nurse practitioner and certified diabetes care and education specialist
• Jeffrey Grand, PsyD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
• Beth Pfeiffer, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Public Health, and Director of the Research, Engagement, and Advocacy for Community Participation and Health (REACH) Lab at Temple University
• Luke Tomczuck, certified autism peer support specialist, travel trainer for Community Integrated Services, and community outreach specialist for the REACH Lab
• Aliya Khabir, MA, BBA, a Philadelphia-born communications professional with over 20 years of public relations, marketing, and advertising experience in a spectrum of industries
• Katherine M. Klima, DNP, CNM, a retired nurse midwife who specializes in Islamic bioethical issues related to reproductive technology and end-of-life care. She is a founding member of the Board of Directors at the Cherry Hill Free Clinic, where she chairs the Quality Improvement Committee.

The symposium concluded with a panel discussion that included Klima, Khabir, Grand, and Pfeiffer.