Case Studies
Overcoming Language Barriers
Providing quality care for patients with limited English proficiency can be challenging, even for large health care systems. Each year Vidant Health, a regional health system serving eastern North Carolina, logs more than 24,000 distinct patient encounters with a primary language other than English. Along with employing on-site interpreters, the health system has used phone and video interpretation to access 45 spoken languages, plus American Sign Language; Spanish accounts for more than 90 percent of requested language services. In 2011, Vidant Health conducted a comprehensive self-assessment among its leaders to identify gaps and opportunities in delivering language services. Based on this assessment, health system leaders developed a single, systemwide language assistance strategy and established a patient-centered communication task force. The task force is developing and implementing new language assistance standards and addressing recommendations. Each facility now has appointed a language services contact to coordinate language services and facilitate access to all interpreter services. Systemwide changes include developing a policy for patient communication, establishing video interpretation standards and a centralized process for document translation and creating and distributing a language services tool kit that includes signs and forms in Spanish, language ID cards and other language support materials.
Providing quality care for patients with limited English proficiency can be challenging, even for large health care systems. Each year Vidant Health, a regional health system serving eastern North Carolina, logs more than 24,000 distinct patient encounters with a primary language other than English. Along with employing on-site interpreters, the health system has used phone and video interpretation to access 45 spoken languages, plus American Sign Language; Spanish accounts for more than 90 percent of requested language services. In 2011, Vidant Health conducted a comprehensive self-assessment among its leaders to identify gaps and opportunities in delivering language services. Based on this assessment, health system leaders developed a single, systemwide language assistance strategy and established a patient-centered communication task force. The task force is developing and implementing new language assistance standards and addressing recommendations. Each facility now has appointed a language services contact to coordinate language services and facilitate access to all interpreter services. Systemwide changes include developing a policy for patient communication, establishing video interpretation standards and a centralized process for document translation and creating and distributing a language services tool kit that includes signs and forms in Spanish, language ID cards and other language support materials.
For more information, contact Beth Anne Atkins, corporate communications, at beth.atkins@vidanthealth.com.