Q&A
Language barriers and interpretation services in patient care at H+H facilities
1:53:20
ยท
152 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse raises concerns about language barriers and interpretation services during brief appointment windows at H+H facilities. Dr. Mitch Katz explains the current approach and challenges.
- H+H uses phone and video translation services
- Appointments requiring interpretation typically take twice as long
- There's a balance between providing broader access and spending more time with individual patients
- The system aims to find a reasonable middle ground between very short and very long appointment times
Mercedes Narcisse
1:53:20
We know that language barriers are linked to increased medical errors, as well as lower patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
1:53:29
Giving that language access and interpretation services can be time consuming to set up.
1:53:35
How is H and H ensuring that patients receive proper care and thorough evaluation during the brief 20 minutes appointment windows?
Mitch Katz
1:53:45
Sure.
1:53:46
Well and you're an expert, and you've been a great advocate for the importance of Haitian Creole, in Central Brooklyn, which which we have.
1:53:55
We have wonderful, both phone and video translation.
1:54:03
I mean, I use it every week, and that that is great.
1:54:09
I would say, and I do recognize one of the challenges, and I'm sure people will talk about it, I hope they do, I'm fluent in Spanish, so I can do all of my Spanish speaking patients with no additional time.
1:54:25
When I was in there on Wednesday, I had 1 French speaking patient.
1:54:28
French speaking, I need the interpreter.
1:54:30
No problem with the interpreter, but, of course, the visit has to take twice as long.
1:54:35
Mhmm.
1:54:35
There's no way around that.
1:54:37
Right?
1:54:37
Because I have to talk, and then the translator has to talk, then the patient has to talk, then the translator has to talk.
1:54:44
Right?
1:54:44
So I I mean, I think that especially when, you know, we don't have language concurrence and it's impossible nobody can speak all languages.
1:54:52
Right?
1:54:53
So to the extent, you know, I do recognize that that is one of the challenges.
1:54:58
And again, all all I can say is that that there is no answer anywhere between desire for broader access and the desire to spend more time going deeply with the same person.
1:55:14
Everybody has to decide, you know, what what is a reasonable line.
1:55:19
Right?
1:55:19
Some places have 15 minute visits or 10 minute visits.
1:55:23
Some places have 30 minutes.
1:55:24
Right?
1:55:25
If you're in you know, if you're wealthy, right, you're going to not pay your doctor is not gonna take your insurance, and you're gonna pay out of pocket, and the doctor's gonna spend 50 minutes with you.
1:55:37
Right?
1:55:37
I mean, these are there is no, in my view, one answer to it.
1:55:43
It's just trying to do something reasonable to address these people that I know my doctors care about and I know all of you care about.
1:55:51
It's just not a simple answer.