Sandra Hager Eliason, MD

Dr. Sandra Eliason has been involved with the Center for Cross Cultural Health since 2001, starting as a board member, and then serving as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2002-2005.
Dr. Eliason received her medical degree from the University of North Dakota Medical School in 1980, and finished her Family Medicine residency at the St. John's unit of the University of Minnesota Family Medicine program. She has been a physician with Columbia Park Medical Group, now Fairview, for twenty-one years, serving as chair of the Family Practice department from 1992-94, and as Medical Director from 1994-2001. She currently sees patients in the Urgent Care department half time, and serves as a member of the Cross Cultural and Minority Affairs Committee of the Minnesota Medical Association.
In 2001, Dr. Eliason was a recipient of the Bush Medical Fellowship, with her emphasis on models to incorporate culturally competent care into medical groups. Currently, she is completing her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Eliason has extensive experience in cross-cultural work and with developing cultural competency programs and curricula for medical organizations. While at the Center for Cross Cultural Health, Dr. Eliason was instrumental in developing a CLAS-Standards based assessment survey for use in medical organizations, allowing specific recommendations about areas in which the organization can implement changes in CLAS-related activities.
She was also instumental in the development of the Organizational Development Model for cultural competency to improve the delivery of culturally responsive services within medical organizations, and has implemented organizational development activities within medical organizations in Minnesota and around the country.
Dr. Eliason continues to consult with medical groups, to present at conferences on cross cultural topics, and to provide trainings to medical organizations.
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