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Speaking Their
Language Guiding Principle: Improved Access IMAGINE BEING SICK OR INJURED, but unable to communicate with your healthcare provider. You wouldn’t be able to clearly explain what is wrong, and you might not be able to understand the full depth of your diagnosis, treatment or how to care for yourself when you return home. How would you feel – vulnerable and helpless? Not at Provena Mercy Medical Center (PMMC) in Aurora. In 1999, Compañeros en Salud (Partners in Health) a grassroots organization, conducted a needs assessment in Aurora which found a significant population in their local community that not only had limited to no English proficiency, but was also defined as being poor and vulnerable. In response to the need, Compañeros en Salud developed Language Access to Healthcare (LAH), a program that PMMC was able to support initially with office space and equipment, eventually taking over administration of the program in 2004. The hospital had always provided interpreting services to patients while in their care, but through LAH they are able to reach out beyond the hospital. Today, they are able to provide interpreting services in Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese.
LAH strives to help patients be informed decision makers, fully participating in their healthcare. With LAH’s services, patients are able to tell a provider what is wrong with them, ask and respond to questions, understand what the healthcare provider is saying, understand the cause of their problem, understand the treatment received and how to continue to take care of themselves after they return home. In 2004, Martinez attended a program to learn how to train others to be medical interpreters. As a result, PMMC now offers 40-hour training courses in medical interpreting for their employees. In addition, Martinez has worked with other organizations to provide training, including Provena Saint Joseph Hospital, the Kane County Health Department, Rockford Memorial Hospital, Kishwaukee Community Hospital, the Open Door Clinic, School District 131 and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. LAH trains interpreters to correctly interpret the medical terminology that patients need to understand. “Just because someone is bilingual, doesn’t mean they can interpret properly for a patient,” explains Martinez. “Miscommunication can lead to bigger problems for patients – confusion during diagnosis or assessment, unnecessary testing or return trips to the ER. Proper medical interpretation can avoid these problems.” Not only does this training teach proper healthcare interpreting, but interpreters are also required to follow a special code of ethics, which outlines how to create trust and respect with the client or patient, abstaining from offering opinions, maintaining confidentiality, explaining cultural differences, accepting only assignments for which they are qualified and interpreting completely and accurately. Interpreters also accompany patients to doctor’s offices to provide interpretation. And, LAH also interprets for other health providers in the area, including Central DuPage Hospital, Sherman Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and Aunt Martha’s Clinic. In 2007, PMMC’s Language Access to Healthcare program served over 20,000 people in northern Illinois through interpreting services and training. “Provena Health focuses on responding to community needs with an emphasis on the poor and vulnerable,” shares Mary Rudnicki, Regional Director of Community Health for Provena Northern Illinois Region. “Nothing makes you feel more vulnerable than not being able to communicate or understand what is happening to you. Language Access to Healthcare really cuts to the core of vulnerability and empowers patients to fully understand what is happening to them and how they can get better. Community benefit is more than just numbers –it’s an impact on the life of those we serve.” Martinez agrees, “Interpreting services ensure that every individual in our community receives equal access to healthcare.” |
“Having someone by your side who speaks your language puts a
patient at ease when talking about something as important and sensitive as their
health,” explains Laura Martinez, LAH Coordinator at PMMC.