Discuss how a language difference can decrease the likelihood of optimal healthcare outcomes and impact healthcare cost
Multilingual, Bicultural Challenges A Slippery Slope.html
Multilingual, Bicultural Challenges: A Slippery Slope
The growing migration into the United States carries diversity but brings with it access limitations to necessary healthcare services. The foreign-born population has increased to an excess of sixty million in the United States (Lopez & Radford, 2017). This is a population that speaks a native tongue in their household, with English as a second language, while half are not proficient or cannot speak English according to the United States Census Bureau. To further compound the issue of language as a barrier to healthcare services, less than a third of the hospitals nationwide offer translation services while others offer only inadequate services.
Translation services have proven to be essential in providing quality healthcare. Many healthcare organizations rely on a dangerous proposition of enlisting fellow patents, family members, friends, employees, and other untrained uncertified nonclinical individuals. Reliance on spur-of-the-moment ad hoc solutions presents a jeopardy to the well-being of the patient and the healthcare organization.
The engagement of ad hoc translation or interpretation can introduce uncertainty and risk for the patient and the provider. The ad hoc measure can introduce a difference in dialect and understanding on the basis of cultural or religious beliefs, animosity of ethnic, cultural, religious, or other consternating factors. Safeguards must be considered for both the patient and the provider.
The cost of translation/interpretation services is considerably expensive, but necessary. Reluctance or refusal to provide such services is a shortsighted failing to consider potential negative health outcomes, relinquishing the opportunity to further provider/patient relationships, and the risk of legal repercussions. The most convenient and cost-effective measure might be tele-translation services provided by a certified translator on a twenty-four-hour basis.
References:
Lopez, G., & Radford, J. (2017). Facts on U.S. immigrants, 2015: Statistical portrait of the foreign-born population in the United States. Pew Research Center, Hispanic Trends. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2017/05/03/facts-on-u-s-immigrants/
Pew Research Center. (2015, September 28). Modern immigration wave brings 59 million to U.S., driving population growth and change through 2065. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/09/28/modern-immigration-wave-brings-59-million-to-u-s-driving-population-growth-and-change-through-2065/
Overcoming Language Barriers Review the tabs to know more about medical interpreters in a healthcare setting. The importance of professional medical interpreters in a healthcare setting Displays information about medical interpreters in a healthcare setting.
The exchange of accurate information between the patient and the provider is a large part of medical care. The collection of accurate and comprehensive patient-specific data remains the basis for proper diagnosis and prognosis. Certified interpreters facilitate communication and help in the prevention of misunderstandings by ensuring that correct information is passed on.
The role of a medical interpreter Displays information about medical interpreters in a healthcare setting.
Certified medical interpreters provide valuable service to patients and healthcare professionals. Individuals speaking different languages can possibly place the patient or healthcare professional at risk. Misinterpretation, lack of understanding of medical terms, or a preconceived disposition or prejudice to select medical procedures present a potential intentional or unintentional bias in the interpreted word. In the event of a medical surge, interpreters become indispensable in providing care.
The importance of using qualified medical interpreters Displays information about medical interpreters in a healthcare setting.
Effective communication must be comprehended by both patient and healthcare provider. Communications are intended to be bidirectional and enable both parties to clarify the message’s intent. In the absence of effective communication or comprehension, the provision of quality patient-centered healthcare ends—or proceeds with the potential of errors, poor quality, and risks to patient safety. Using qualified medical interpreters ensures complete understanding by both the parties and ensures the safety of the patient.
How interpreters can improve access to care and outcome Displays information about medical interpreters in a healthcare setting.
Communication gaps can be a barrier to healthcare and pose a risk to the patient. Problems can arise when patients claim to be proficient in English but are not, which furthers the environment for errors. Non-English-speaking patients might be reluctant to share personal medical information with those who serve as an adhoc translator. In addition, non-English-speaking patients are likely to experience anxiety and confusion due to language and communications challenges. A certified medical interpreter serves to address these issues and enhances the quality of care that is provided while maintaining patient confidentiality.
Additional Materials
From the Internet, read the following:
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. (2004). Cultural competence in health care: Is it important for people with chronic conditions? Retrieved from https://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/cultural/cultural.html
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