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Patient Stories
Patients with limited English proficiency are not only less likely to receive primary care and preventive services, but are also less likely to receive the same quality of care as English proficient patients. The following stories underscore the importance of language services in health care. Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, New York José’s Story Upon discharge from Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, José, an elderly male with a history of congestive heart failure, was given a list of instructions, education materials and nine prescriptions all of which were in written English. Within 15 days, he was readmitted to the hospital. José’s case manager soon discovered that he was not literate in English and required language services and translated documents. With the help of an interpreter, the case manager talked with José and quickly provided him with the appropriate discharge instructions in Spanish to stay on track with his treatment. The subsequent success of José’s treatment taught the Bellevue staff the importance of providing language services across the entire continuum of care and the significant role it can play in providing the highest quality of care possible to all patients. Because of the use of language services, José was able to leave the hospital, improve his health by following discharge instructions in his preferred language, and avoid another hospital admission. Maria's Story A victim of domestic violence, Maria went to the Emergency Room at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City seeking treatment for trauma to her face and body. Although she provided enough information in English to be triaged, she did not respond to many of the medical team’s questions and seemed hesitant to be there. A subsequent discussion with a Spanish-speaking social worker quickly revealed that Maria was actually not fluent in English and needed the help of a Spanish-language medical interpreter. As a result, medical staff was able to appropriately evaluate and treat her with the help of interpretive services. The use of interpreter services ultimately ensured that Maria received all of the high quality treatment and counseling available at Bellevue Hospital Center. It also served as an important lesson for staff about the need to properly screen patients for preferred language in order to best meet the linguistic and medical/psychosocial needs of all patients.
Mr. Seng's Story When Mr. Seng, a 55-year-old Hmong patient, was discharged following treatment for pneumonia, he was prescribed an important course of antibiotics to ensure his recovery. But a routine follow-up call by a nurse educator (using a language line interpreter) at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, showed that he had not filled the needed prescription or scheduled any of the necessary follow-up appointments. It was quickly discovered that a family member of Mr. Seng’s served as the interpreter when he was discharged from the hospital, and Mr. Seng never fully understood the care instructions. Thanks to the help of a qualified interpreter, he was finally able to comply with the instructions, finish his course of treatment and continue on a path of wellness.
Lydia's Story Lydia, a 55-year-old Spanish-speaking woman, appeared at the emergency department at Strong Memorial Hospital experiencing severe abdominal pain. With the assistance of an interpreter, she was quickly triaged and transferred to an urgent care unit for treatment. As part of her treatment, Lydia's doctors wanted to perform a blood transfusion. When the request for a transfusion was entered into the computerized physician order entry system, her doctors received an alert that Lydia had personal beliefs that would prohibit her from consenting to a transfusion. A subsequent discussion with Lydia with the assistance of a Spanish interpreter, revealed that this was not a belief she held. It was learned that during an earlier visit to the hospital, Lydia completed a routine screening questionnaire without the assistance of qualified language services and she never fully understood the questions she was being asked. Because of the miscommunication, a note was made in her medical record that was not correct. Lydia is grateful for the qualified interpreters that helped her communicate with her doctors and nurses to discuss her treatment options. To this day, Lydia considers the interpreters at Strong Memorial Hospital to be her 'guardian angels.'
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