 |
|
 |
||||
 |
|
 |
 Printer Friendly Version E-mail a Page |
|||
 |
|
|
|
|
Hospital Success Stories
Hospitals describe efforts to improve the quality and availability of health care language services for non-English speaking patients. These stories are intended to serve as a resource for others seeking to reduce language barriers in their health care organizations.
Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota Caregivers and LEP patients are Celebrating Program Accomplishments
Regions Hospital successfully implemented an interpreter rounding strategy that brings interpreters directly to clinical units to support delivery of efficient and effective language services. As a first step in the interpreter rounding protocol, interpreters use the hospital's daily census to learn where non-English speaking patients are being treated. Each morning, an interpreter reports to clinical units to meet with clinicians about current and future interpretation needs. Interpreters will then schedule qualified language service encounters over the course of the hospitalization. The hospital also uses the protocol to ensure that interpreters are engaged at critical points in care delivery when communications are essential such as at assessment and discharge. Patients are included in the protocol as well. Before leaving the unit, the interpreter will meet with patients in order to confirm language preference, to ask about current and future communications needs, and to educate patients about mechanisms for accessing language services. As a participant in the Speaking Together program, Regions has learned that interpreter rounding has led to significant improvements in the number of patients receiving qualified language services, particularly at assessment and discharge. Future quality improvement activities will be directed at sustaining these improvements and extending protocols for interpreter rounding to other units in the hospital. Interpreter services staff believe that one of the important benefits of the program has been increased efficiency and effectiveness due to more scheduled encounters for interpreters, fewer last-minute requests for services; and improved patient outcomes because are involved at important times during care delivery. Read more about Regions Hospital University of California, Davis Medical Center UC Davis Improves the Informed Consent Process for Patients Needing Language Services According to UCDavis staff, 1 in 5 children being treated in the PICU are cared for by families that need language services. Through successful implementation of a new informed consent process, UCDavis Health System has brought medical interpreters to the bedsides of these patients. Informed consent is critical to ensuring patient safety and the full participation of patients and caregivers in medical decision-making. Dr. Joanne Natale, Director of the PICU, led UCDavis’ quality improvement efforts to reduce language barriers at this critical time. By making undertaking a series of targeted interventions, UCDavis improved the informed consent process by:
“The UCDavis PICU team worked collaboratively to implement strategies to improve language services,” says Dr. Natale. “Once clinicians became familiar with mechanisms (such as language services by video) in order to access an interpreter, it became routine to request language services not only for informed consents but for other times requiring effective communication.” According to Dr. Natale, the other benefit has been improved satisfaction with services adding, “families have mentioned that they appreciate the opportunity to discuss their concerns and ask questions about medical procedures with the assistance of an interpreter at the bedside.” For organizations seeking to improve language services operations, Dr. Natale suggests that health care providers make every effort to use innovative techniques, including technology, to improve access to qualified medical interpreters. Read more about University of California, Davis Healt System |
 |
 |
  |
Contact Us | Site Map | Join the Network | Grantee Login | Privacy Policy Copyright 2006-2008 The George Washington University, |