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Why Collect Data Using a Uniform Framework?
The uniform framework provides a process improvement tool for health care organizations to systematically collect race, ethnicity, and primary language information from patients or their caregivers. Using this framework results in more accurate and complete data. Health care organizations with data from their own institutions may, in turn, use the information to reduce health care disparities, develop targeted initiatives to improve quality of care, and provide patient-centered care.
The elements of a uniform framework include:
- A rationale for why the patient is being asked to provide information about his/her race, ethnicity, and primary language.
- A script for staff to use each time so that they ask questions in a uniform fashion.
- A method for allowing patients to self-identify their race, ethnicity, and primary language.
- A standardized approach for "rolling up" granular responses to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) categories for analytical and reporting purposes.
- Assurances that the data will be held confidential and that a limited number of people will have access to the data, and a mechanism to guarantee this claim.
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