Medical Staff

Understand and overcome language, cultural barriers

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, October 10, 2007

Language barriers are not just frustrating for physicians and patients; recent studies show they can have a direct effect on patient care, including readmission rates.

As the demographic of the country changes and the number of people who cannot speak English rises, overcoming language and cultural barriers has become an increasingly difficult problem for hospitalists who rely on effective communication with their patients.

The following are seven strategies hospitals and hospitalist programs can implement to deal with language and culture barriers.

  • Hire bilingual staff
  • Use a professional interpreter service
  • Use universal healthcare symbols
  • Standardize language assessment tests
  • Offer interpreter skills training to volunteers
  • Create a hospital language bank
  • Make sure your written language materials are effective

Read the full version of this article in this month's issue of Hospitalist Management Advisor,published by HCPro Inc. Not subscribed to HMA? Click here for more information.

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