What happens when a Cherokee patient summons a medicine man to the hospital, or when an Anglo nurse refuses to take orders from a Japanese doctor? Why do Asian patients rarely ask for pain medication, while Mediterranean patients seem to seek relief for even the slightest discomfort?

Geri-Ann Galanti argues that if the goal of the American medical system is to provide optimal care for all patients, health-care providers must understand cultural differences that create conflicts and misunderstandings and that can result in inferior medical care. This new edition includes five new chapters and 172 case studies of actual conflicts that occurred in American hospitals.

With new chapters on pain, dietary practices, staff relations, death and dying, and mental health, the new edition is more comprehensive and has been designed for easier use. Each case study is extensively cross-referenced in the index, and there is a comprehensive bibliography arranged by both topic and ethnic group.