Improving access to healthcare for the Hispanic community of Greater New Orleans: Collaboration between a social service agency and a primary health care facility to provide cultural competent services


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

3336.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - Board 9

Abstract #109198

Shaula Lovera, MPH¹, James M. Deshotels, SJ, MSN, MPH², John Estrada, MD³, Robert Post, MD⁴, Dolly Simpson, MS, MHA², and David J. Ward, MHSA⁵. (1) Latino Health Access Network, Hispanic Apostolate, Archdiocese of New Orleans, 4309 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70063, Algeria, 504-466-7977, shaulal@hotmail.com, (2) Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, 3900 So. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118, (3) Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 1542 Tulane Avenue, Box T8-1, New Orleans, LA 70112-2822, (4) School of Medicine, Louisiana State University, 1542 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, (5) President & CEO, Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, 3900 So. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, MA 70118

Hispanics represent 2.4% of Louisiana's population (107,170 of 4,465,430 people; 27 % of adults are uninsured). Almost half (50.263 Hispanics; 46.9%) reside in the greater New Orleans area. Latino residents have more barriers to health care than other populations. These include poverty, lack of education, language, discrimination, fear, inexperience utilizing social services and health care systems, and un-insurance (90% of Latino Clinic patients in this study). Spanish-language services are scarce. Health care providers are mostly unprepared to provide culturally competent care.

Two faith-based organizations, the Hispanic Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and Daughters of Charity Health Center (DCHC), partnered with the Louisiana Public Health Institute and the Hispano-American Medical Association of Louisiana to create the Latino Health Access Network (LHAN). LHAN coordinates client services and community activities, collaborates in local events and provides community outreach for various agencies and programs.

LHAN developed a Latino clinic on Saturdays at DCHC where physician volunteers provide services in Spanish on a sliding fee scale. Bilingual medical students are trained in cultural competency to assist and translate. As a result of this program the percentage of Hispanic patients at DCHC increased to 8% in 2002, and 16% in 2004. The proportion of Spanish-speaking staff and providers has also doubled (20%).

LHAN addresses core issues, providing information, referral, culturally competent services and linking services. DCHC has become the primary care home for over 1,000 Hispanics within the last year and provided over 3,000 doctor visits to Hispanics in the last two years.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

1. Recognize barriers of access to health care in the greater New Orleans Area.
2. Discuss successful strategies used to serve the Hispanic community and understand the collaborative efforts of various agencies and programs.
3. Make recommendations on how to integrate culturally appropriate services through effective partnership and collaboration

Keywords: Hispanic, Patient Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Improving Latino Access to Health Care

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA