When health encounters are planned, be them testing, doctor′s visits or scheduled surgery, there is an opportunity to learn more about the patient in advance and prepare for any accommodations. Imagine you are leading a new initiative at the hospital where you work and you are tasked to connect with surgical patients who are new patients to your system and are scheduled for an upcoming procedure. Discuss what approaches you may outline to identify the cultural competency needs of new patients. How would you connect with patients in advance? What kinds of questions would you ask? How will you communicate the resources available through your hospital system? What effect might this have on the quality of care delivered to the patient?