Demand for Interpreter Services at Carle Health is growing and the most-requested language is Spanish.
“Total interpreter demand across the (Carle Health) system has increased 20 percent compared with this point last year,” Abe Millar, CMI, Carle Health Interpreter Services manager, said. For example, in August in the Champaign-Urbana service area, staff interpreters handled 3,661 interpreting calls, totaling 535 hours and 15 minutes.
Carle Health is highlighting the growing Interpreter Services during National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) because Interpreter Services is one way that Carle remains committed to offering inclusive care and can honor Hispanic patients and team members.
National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The month began on Sept. 15 because that’s the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18.
“National Hispanic Heritage Month is a recognition of Hispanic Americans’ contributions and influences,” Jessica Acuña, Carle Health medical interpreter, said. “To me, it is an opportunity to not only celebrate but to also reflect on our Hispanic American culture and all that it means to Hispanic Americans. Additionally, as part of the Hispanic American culture, it means that ‘we’ as a group are celebrated and acknowledged as a big part of the community. It is very special to see the nation unite in celebration and enjoy our delicious foods, wear some of our traditional clothes, and listen to some of the music that represents the Hispanic community.”
“We honor the heritage of the Hispanic community, and other communities, by being mindful of their traditions and by offering Interpreter Services,” Kathy Lehmann, Carle Health DEI specialist, said. “This is Carle Health living out our values.”
“Doctors’ offices can be scary if you don’t know the language,” Lehmann said. “Interpreter Services brings trust, comfort and peace of mind, which contribute to healing.”
Carle Health is committed to continuing to meet the growing need for Interpreter Services, Millar said.
“Interpreter Services serves over 15,000 Carle patients,” Acuña said. “Each patient’s health and quality of service is of utmost importance. Imagine what it would be for each of those patients if they could not communicate their health needs/concerns in their own language? The Carle job would be nearly impossible without effective patient-provider communication. As part of the Interpreter Services team, we have a huge responsibility to accurately convey the right message between providers and patients. It is not only a matter of language but a matter of connecting two different cultures to create better communication.”
Any Carle Health inpatient or outpatient – as well as their companions, caregivers and family members – whose English proficiency is limited is eligible for free Interpreter Services as required by federal law. Carle Health absorbs the cost, Millar said.
Services are available over the phone, in person or by video.
For outpatient appointments, Interpreter Services has a scheduler who receives requests on the Carle Intranet site. The scheduler determines if the patients will receive services in person, over the phone or on video and schedules the appointment.
Most inpatient encounters happen over the phone or video but some encounters could be handled by an in-person interpreter. Carle Health has 14 staff interpreters who handle 30% of the demand, Millar said. Vendors handle the remaining appointments.
About 60% of the calls are from Spanish speakers. The No. 2 requested language is French, followed by Mandarin, Vietnamese and Korean.
“Through our vendors, we supply interpreters in over 250 languages,” Millar said.
Interpreters are beyond bilingual, Millar said. A person must pass a test demonstrating their fluency in English and another language, their short-term memory, their knowledge of medical terminology and their exactness of interpretation, Millar said. They must keep their biases aside.
“There is a science to translation,” said Terry Collier, a Carle Health Spanish interpreter. “We must provide exact translation so we have to be aware of different dialects, different vocabularies.”
Millar said “Interpreter Services are vitally important as we serve as a conduit of communication for our Spanish-speaking patients. We are their voice and, without us, they would not be able to understand their providers well or express themselves in a way that they feel heard and understood by their healthcare providers.”
Acuña said, “Spanish-speaking patients at Carle total over 8,000. It is important all patients feel seen, respected and celebrated. Paying tribute to the nation’s Hispanic heritage is a way to affirm belonging.”
“Total interpreter demand across the (Carle Health) system has increased 20 percent compared with this point last year,” Abe Millar, CMI, Carle Health Interpreter Services manager, said. For example, in August in the Champaign-Urbana service area, staff interpreters handled 3,661 interpreting calls, totaling 535 hours and 15 minutes.
Carle Health is highlighting the growing Interpreter Services during National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) because Interpreter Services is one way that Carle remains committed to offering inclusive care and can honor Hispanic patients and team members.
National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The month began on Sept. 15 because that’s the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18.
“National Hispanic Heritage Month is a recognition of Hispanic Americans’ contributions and influences,” Jessica Acuña, Carle Health medical interpreter, said. “To me, it is an opportunity to not only celebrate but to also reflect on our Hispanic American culture and all that it means to Hispanic Americans. Additionally, as part of the Hispanic American culture, it means that ‘we’ as a group are celebrated and acknowledged as a big part of the community. It is very special to see the nation unite in celebration and enjoy our delicious foods, wear some of our traditional clothes, and listen to some of the music that represents the Hispanic community.”
“We honor the heritage of the Hispanic community, and other communities, by being mindful of their traditions and by offering Interpreter Services,” Kathy Lehmann, Carle Health DEI specialist, said. “This is Carle Health living out our values.”
“Doctors’ offices can be scary if you don’t know the language,” Lehmann said. “Interpreter Services brings trust, comfort and peace of mind, which contribute to healing.”
Carle Health is committed to continuing to meet the growing need for Interpreter Services, Millar said.
“Interpreter Services serves over 15,000 Carle patients,” Acuña said. “Each patient’s health and quality of service is of utmost importance. Imagine what it would be for each of those patients if they could not communicate their health needs/concerns in their own language? The Carle job would be nearly impossible without effective patient-provider communication. As part of the Interpreter Services team, we have a huge responsibility to accurately convey the right message between providers and patients. It is not only a matter of language but a matter of connecting two different cultures to create better communication.”
Any Carle Health inpatient or outpatient – as well as their companions, caregivers and family members – whose English proficiency is limited is eligible for free Interpreter Services as required by federal law. Carle Health absorbs the cost, Millar said.
Services are available over the phone, in person or by video.
For outpatient appointments, Interpreter Services has a scheduler who receives requests on the Carle Intranet site. The scheduler determines if the patients will receive services in person, over the phone or on video and schedules the appointment.
Most inpatient encounters happen over the phone or video but some encounters could be handled by an in-person interpreter. Carle Health has 14 staff interpreters who handle 30% of the demand, Millar said. Vendors handle the remaining appointments.
About 60% of the calls are from Spanish speakers. The No. 2 requested language is French, followed by Mandarin, Vietnamese and Korean.
“Through our vendors, we supply interpreters in over 250 languages,” Millar said.
Interpreters are beyond bilingual, Millar said. A person must pass a test demonstrating their fluency in English and another language, their short-term memory, their knowledge of medical terminology and their exactness of interpretation, Millar said. They must keep their biases aside.
“There is a science to translation,” said Terry Collier, a Carle Health Spanish interpreter. “We must provide exact translation so we have to be aware of different dialects, different vocabularies.”
Millar said “Interpreter Services are vitally important as we serve as a conduit of communication for our Spanish-speaking patients. We are their voice and, without us, they would not be able to understand their providers well or express themselves in a way that they feel heard and understood by their healthcare providers.”
Acuña said, “Spanish-speaking patients at Carle total over 8,000. It is important all patients feel seen, respected and celebrated. Paying tribute to the nation’s Hispanic heritage is a way to affirm belonging.”
Categories: Community
Tags: Healthcare, Heritage, Hispanic, Interpreter, Language