"The Fifth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations" was held October 17–20, 2006 in Seattle.

The conference was jointly presented by Drexel University School of Public Health Center for Health Equality, Resources for Cross Cultural Health Care and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, in collaboration with the Cross Cultural Health Care Program, Washington Health Foundation and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Key Results:

• More than 600 people from 40 states and eight countries attended the conference. Participants included clinicians, health care administrators, advocates, government officials, community representatives, foundation officers and academic scholars.
• The conference featured:
  • Plenary presentations featuring national leaders describing initiatives to:
    • Link quality of care to cultural competence and efforts to reduce disparities in health and health care.
    • Implement quality care for culturally diverse populations.
  • Workshops featuring speakers who addressed challenges they faced in implementing, evaluating and developing policy related to ensuring quality care for culturally diverse populations.
  • Peer-to-peer practice advancement sessions, allowing participants opportunities to share experiences working in the field.
  • Roundtable discussions, featuring informal, moderated discussions on emerging efforts related to quality care for culturally diverse populations.

Afterward: The Sixth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations is scheduled for October 2008.