They don't call the United States a ‘melting pot' for nothing. It is estimated that one out of every eight Americans is born in another country. Furthermore, approximately 10 percent of the population is Limited English Proficient (LEP), meaning they have a limited vocabulary in the English language. With the numbers expected to climb, are you and your staff equipped to handle the influx LEP individuals that arrive within your doors?
We often time take for granted the ability to speak English and assume that those around us can too. In the healthcare field this can be a detrimental way of thinking. As more and more LEP individuals enter the workforce and receive health insurance the number of non-English or LEP has increased exponentially. In many ways, healthcare facilities have evolved with this trend by implementing interpreting services that help to provide quality care to their patients. Studies have shown that interpreting services such as video remote interpreting have dramatically decreased cases of readmission, misdiagnosis and death in the healthcare sector due to inefficient communication.
While services such as on-call or in-house interpreter, phone interpretation and video remote interpreting are available to ease the load that staff members may experience, having a basic understanding of how to properly communicate without their presence is essential. According to the Diversity Council, staff should use the following techniques to communicate with LEP individuals, with or without the assistance of video remote interpreting devices and services, with a few more sprinkled in:
When communicating with a LEP person:
Understanding your audience
As the healthcare sector continues to evolve and change, staff should be equipped with the basic fundamentals of communicating effectively with the countless number of non-English speaking and LEP patients and guardians that will seek their assistance for their health needs. Communication is one of the core components of quality healthcare. While your staff may not be certified interpreters, they can take an active role in bridging the communication gap that occurs within the hospital setting when medical terminology is being used or discharge instructions are given.
Sources:
http://www.diversitycouncil.org/toolkit/Resources_TipSheet_CommunicationwithNon-NativeEnglishSpeakers.pdf
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/lep/providinghealthcaretoleppdf.pdf
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/limited-english-proficient-population-united-states
We often time take for granted the ability to speak English and assume that those around us can too. In the healthcare field this can be a detrimental way of thinking. As more and more LEP individuals enter the workforce and receive health insurance the number of non-English or LEP has increased exponentially. In many ways, healthcare facilities have evolved with this trend by implementing interpreting services that help to provide quality care to their patients. Studies have shown that interpreting services such as video remote interpreting have dramatically decreased cases of readmission, misdiagnosis and death in the healthcare sector due to inefficient communication.
While services such as on-call or in-house interpreter, phone interpretation and video remote interpreting are available to ease the load that staff members may experience, having a basic understanding of how to properly communicate without their presence is essential. According to the Diversity Council, staff should use the following techniques to communicate with LEP individuals, with or without the assistance of video remote interpreting devices and services, with a few more sprinkled in:
When communicating with a LEP person:
- Make eye contact. Give them your undivided attention so that information is given clearly.
- Enunciate each word so that they are able to understanding its meaning clearly. Words in the English language can be confusing and contains words that sound the same; yet have different meanings like: bare or bear, and know versus no.
- Talk in a normal tone. Don't raise your voice.
- Slow down. Take your time in explaining directions, instructions and other pieces of information that need to be expressed. Your consideration on the tempo of your speech can help them comprehend and digest the information they are being presented.
- Avoid buzz or business jargon that can confuse. Do away with slang and cultural references like "Put ‘er there" or "Can I have your John Hancock, please?"
- Avoid using irony and sarcasm
- Remember the 3Ps when interacting with LEP individuals: Be pleasant, patient and polite
- Repeat information if it isn't fully understood
- Wait for them to respond to you before going on to another point. They may have questions or need you to repeat a statement again
- Ask them, politely, to repeat the information back to you or to demonstrate their understanding
As the healthcare sector continues to evolve and change, staff should be equipped with the basic fundamentals of communicating effectively with the countless number of non-English speaking and LEP patients and guardians that will seek their assistance for their health needs. Communication is one of the core components of quality healthcare. While your staff may not be certified interpreters, they can take an active role in bridging the communication gap that occurs within the hospital setting when medical terminology is being used or discharge instructions are given.
Sources:
http://www.diversitycouncil.org/toolkit/Resources_TipSheet_CommunicationwithNon-NativeEnglishSpeakers.pdf
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/lep/providinghealthcaretoleppdf.pdf
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/limited-english-proficient-population-united-states
Very cool article!!
BalasHapusthanks for share :D