Why Language Access in Healthcare Matters So Much
Imagine going to the doctor and not understanding what they’re saying. Imagine going to the oncologist, receiving the worst news of your life and not fully understanding what they are saying. For many people, this is a real problem, as they speak a different language than their doctor or nurse. Enter language access.
Language access ensures that everyone can understand their health care, no matter what language they speak. This access can include having interpreters (trained professionals who convert a spoken message from one language to another), translators (trained professionals who convert a written message from one language to another) or bilingual staff who can provide care directly in the patient’s language. Additionally, there are language service providers that can offer services remotely (that is, via telephone and video) in many languages and dialects.
At Moffitt, we support upwards of 200 languages and dialects through our blend of interpreting modalities. Our most requested languages are Spanish, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese and Vietnamese. We have had the privilege to support patients who speak indigenous languages, such as Mixteco Alto and Bajo, and Mam. Additionally, we provide in-person and remote American Sign Language interpreter services to our Deaf patients.
When patients understand their care, they feel safer and more confident; they can stay healthy and make informed decisions that affect their health and their life. Doctors can provide better care because they know what the patient needs.
Without language access, mistakes can happen. Patients might take the wrong medicine or miss important appointments. That’s dangerous. Everyone deserves to be heard and understood when it comes to their health.
Moffitt works hard to fix this issue by hiring trained, certified interpreters and translators, by offering American Sign Language interpreters to our Deaf patients, or clear window masks or sound amplifiers and other auxiliary aids to our patients with diverse communication needs. It’s not just helpful or the right thing to do—it’s also the law.
So, if you or someone you love speaks a language other than English, next time you come to Moffitt, remember that not only is it okay to ask for help in your language, it is also your right. And language access makes this possible.
If you need any type of communication support, please ask your medical team to contact Language and Communication Access.
Si desea algún tipo de apoyo lingüístico, sírvase solicitar al equipo médico que se comunique con el Departamento de Traducción e Interpretación.
Si ou bezwen nenpòt kalite sipò pou kominikasyon,tanpri mande ekip medikal ou a kontakte Depatman Aksè pou Lang ak Kominikasyon.
Se você precisar de qualquer tipo de apoio para comunicação, por favor, peça à sua equipe médica para entrar em contato com o Departamento de Acesso a Idiomas e Comunicação.
This story was originally published in the PARTNERS newsletter. Visit Moffitt.org/PARTNERS for more stories and to learn more.