243527 Partnering with interpreters to promote a greater cultural understanding

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 9:42 AM

David Cardona, MD, MPH, CMI , Health Care Interpreters Certification Program Coordinator, Office of Multicultural Health and Services, Oregon Health Authority, State of Oregon, Portland, OR
As Oregon and the United States as a whole becomes more linguistically diverse, professional, trained, and certified interpreters are more important than ever. It has been well documented that limited English proficient (LEP) persons have difficulty accessing medical care and have poorer health outcomes than the population at large. Health care interpreters are able to bridge the barrier of language and culture that exists between health care providers and LEP patients, allowing LEP patients access to the care they need. This presentation introduces the Health Care Interpreter profession, introduces modalities for interpretation services, introduces legal implications for not using interpreters in healthcare settings, and gives tips for utilizing foreign language interpreters. Attendees will leave this presentation able to discuss the role healthcare interpreters play in increasing cultural competency between healthcare providers and LEP patients.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the role healthcare interpreters play in increasing cultural competency between healthcare providers and limited English proficient patients.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the coordinator for the Health Care Interpreters Certification Program for the Office of Multicultural Health and Services for the State of Oregon. In this position, I am in charge of implementing the Health Care interpreter law for the State of Oregon.I hold a medical degree for the Autonomous University of Santa Ana, El Salvador and a Master of Public Health from Portland State University. I am a Certified Medical Interpreter who has first hand experience in healthcare interpreting. I am also an adjuct instructor at the Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. I am also a part of Oregon Health & Science University Center for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.