For Allied Health

Best Practices for Collecting Patient Race, Ethnicity, & Preferred Language Data

⏰ 15 minutes (plus optional activities)

📜 Certificate of Completion

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What Your Colleagues Say:

"It was valuable, I think it is always good to have information on collecting information that may feel invasive or sensitive. I felt the course also gives an opportunity to learn respectful and professional interactions with others."

"I was impressed with the course."

"The course ... left a profound impression on me, offering a deep dive into the complexities and importance of data collection in healthcare settings. It provided a comprehensive framework that underscored not only the practical aspects of data collection but also its ethical, legal, and societal implications."

We all want to show up at our best and bring out the best in our patients.

Welcome to Best Practices for Collecting Patient Race, Ethnicity, and Preferred Language Data, a video eLearning experience designed to equip you with the necessary skills, tools, and best practices for collecting patient race, ethnicity, and preferred language (REaL) data. In this course, you will gain a thorough understanding for why REaL data is crucial in hospitals and health centers and of the potential questions and concerns patients have about the collection and use of this information. You will learn relevant definitions and how to respond to your own and your patients’ potential reactions when collecting this data.  

By the end of this course, you will have developed practical skills to communicate effectively with patients while collecting their REaL data. This course will empower you with cross-cutting tools to improve patient care outcomes through positive and reassuring interactions.

This course was developed with the support and partnership of the Advancing Healthcare Excellence and Inclusion Learning Collaborative at the Healthcare Association of New York State.

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Learners will be able to:

Explain the terms race, ethnicity, and preferred language.

Describe why collecting patient race, ethnicity, and preferred language data is important.

Understand best practices for a positive interaction and outcome when patients ask questions or express concerns.


Apply best practices for collecting REaL data in specific patient scenarios.

Why do Optum Health, Mayo Clinic, Boston Scientific, Hospital Association of New York, Health Partners, Cleveland Clinic, the Permanente Medical Group, Sutter Health, Confluence Health, the Indiana Hospital Association, the Center for Antiracism and Health Equity, and the California Health Care Association, among others, choose our courses?

In their words:

#unmatched expertise | #the best we have seen | #truly evidence-based  | #top marks from our doctors | #head & shoulders above the rest