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Strengthening the Healthcare Safety Net: Language Access Services at Unity Health Care, Inc.

Strengthening the Healthcare Safety Net: Language Access Services at Unity Health Care, Inc. Luis Padilla, MD, FAAFP June 16, 2008 . Unity Health Care, Inc. MISSION

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Strengthening the Healthcare Safety Net: Language Access Services at Unity Health Care, Inc.

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  1. Strengthening the Healthcare Safety Net: Language Access Services at Unity Health Care, Inc. Luis Padilla, MD, FAAFP June 16, 2008

  2. Unity Health Care, Inc MISSION Unity Health Care, Inc. offers a citywide network of quality health and human services to the medically underserved regardless of race, ethnic background or ability to pay. VISION Unity Health Care, Inc. will become the preeminent health care delivery system for the medically underserved of Washington, DC and recognized by them as the provider of choice. www.unityhealthcare.org

  3. Unity as a Community Health Center More than 20 years experience in Washington, DC Present in all 8 Wards of the District of Columbia Over 180 providers Currently 32 service sites throughout DC including Mobile Medical Units 433,450 visits n 2007 Healthcare for DC inmates

  4. Unity Health Care 2007 2007

  5. Unity Health Care Approach to LEP • Focus efforts at unified patient communication through the triad of health literacy, cultural competency, and limited English proficiency (LEP) • Active recruitmentof bilingual and bicultural staff • Diversity and cultural competency training throughout the organization • Support its centers with resources to address LEP • Provide low literacy forms and materials

  6. Unity Health Care’sUpper Cardozo Health Center Ward one Northwest DC DC’s most ethnically and economically diverse ward Most diverse center in Unity Health Care’s network Over 17, 000 patients enrolled Over 76,000 visits in 2007 Predominately non-English speaking patients 60% Spanish and 10% Amharic Low Literacy and Low English Proficiency (LEP) with average reading level at third to fourth grade

  7. Upper Cardozo: Services Offered Primary and Preventive Care Dental Social Services Pharmacy WIC OB/GYN Mental Health Laboratory Specialty Care (HIV, Pulmonary, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Endocrinology, Podiatry)

  8. Where do our patients come from?The Americas Canada Mexico USA Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Columbia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Uruguay Venezuela Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic El Salvador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Nicaragua Panama Trinidad

  9. Where do our patients come from?Africa Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Ivory Coast Kenya Liberia Malawi Mali Mauritania Morocco Mozambique Nigeria Niger Republic of Guinea Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda

  10. Where do our patients come from?Asia, Europe , South Pacific, Middle East Bangladesh China India Korea Laos Mongolia Nepal Russia Sri Lanka Thailand Turkey Vietnam Albania England France Greece Ireland Italy Poland Spain Australia New Zeeland Polynesia Jordan Iraq Israel Syria Iran

  11. Multilingual Staff 17 out of 19 primary care providers speak Spanish Over 90% of support staff are bilingual or multilingual Languages Spoken by Upper Cardozo Staff Spanish Tagalog French Farsi Amharic Tigrinya Chinese Vietnamese

  12. How Our Patients Obtain Information Flyers and Brochures Spanish language prescription labels Web based educational materials Point of care internet access Language Line

  13. How Our Patients Obtain Information • Oral instructions from bilingual staff after visits • Medline-Plus audio/video tutorials in Spanish • Community Partnerships • Reach Out and Read • Clinic Color Guide

  14. Forms and Signs Written at a third to fourth grade level Color coded Double sided bilingual Printed in Amharic when applicable

  15. Point of Care Computer Access Internet Access in each exam room made possible through a NLM grant Web image searches MedlinePlus Tutorials Demonstration of medications, dosing, etc

  16. Phone Interpretation Services Language Line Over 100 major languages and dialects available Speaker phones available in each exam room

  17. Reach Out and Read Program National Program designed to promote early childhood literacy Literacy Promotion and books are encouraged at well-child visits ages 6months-5 years

  18. Clinic Color Guide

  19. Future Initiatives Computer Lab English Second Language skills building Computer skills development Healthcare System Access Education Understanding health benefits Patient language access rights DC 2004 Language Act

  20. Continued Challenges Resources needed to expand and provide language services to other languages (Amharic, French, Chinese) Resources and staff to assess how patients process and degree they understand information

  21. Continued Challenges Increased adherence to DC language Act by other organizations (hospitals and specialist offices) Resources to track changes and outcomes Recruitment bilingual providers Recruitment bilingual nurses and case managers

  22. Email Contact lpadilla@unityhealthcare.org

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