making the business case for culturally and linguistically appropriate ...

ProjectOrganizational SettingCLAS ActivityImplementedBenefits & ResultsTeleSaludMolina Healthcare, Inc.,Long Beach, CA.A managed careorganization operating ineight states that providesthe delivery of health careservices to low-incomefamilies and individualseligible for Medicaid andother governmentsponsoredprograms.Provides members with 24-hour live and direct service( in their declared languageof preference) to aRegistered Nurse for nurseadvice and interpretingassistance using a twotieredmodel with nonclinicalstaff receiving theintake calls and registerednurses receiving callsrequiring clinicalinterpreting, clinicalassessment orintervention.• Pilot program produced acost-savings of $2,448 permonth, totaling anextrapolated annual costsavingsof $29,000.• Replicated program yieldedcost-savings of $750,000 in2005-2006, ranging from$0.14-$1.35 PMPY across 8states.• Staff increased from one halftimebilingual employee out of16 full-time RNs to a 100%bilingual Spanish staff.• Program now serves over 1million members and hasbeen implemented in all eightstates where Molina operatesa health plan.Traditional Safety NetTelephonicInterpretation ProjectL.A. Care Health Plan,Los Angeles, CA.A public health maintenanceorganization that servesmore than 750,000 peopleliving in Los AngelesCounty. L.A. Care is one ofthe state’s largest healthplans and the nation’slargest public health plan.L.A. Care contracts withmore than 10,000 healthcare providers, includingclinics and small provideroffices.Implemented a technology“toolbox” to eliminatelanguage barriers andassist providers incommunicating face-tofacewith patients whohave limited Englishproficiency, using an overthe-phoneinterpreter and adual head set.• Reduced the reliance oninappropriate use of friendsand family members tointerpret and decreased useof gesturing and otherineffective communicationmethods.• Reduced L.A. Care’s relianceon expensive contractservices. Cost: during thethree month pilot test (June –August 2003) was $939- forthe use of telephonicinterpretation services usedby the three (3) pilot sitesparticipating in the study. Theimmediate availability oftelephonic interpretationservices provides a necessaryresource for patients whoneed services in languagesthat bilingual staff are notavailable to support. In thecases where on-siteinterpretation is not available,telephonic interpretationservices provides one solutionto immediately address aneed.VolunteerInterpretation ProjectHoly Cross Hospital,Silver Spring, MD.A faith-based, missiondrivencommunity teachinghospital in the Marylandsuburbs of Washington, DC,serving primarily theresidents of Montgomeryand Prince George’sCounties. The hospital is amember of Trinity Health ofNovi, Michigan, the nation’sfourth largest Catholic healthcare system.Initiated a program bywhich 175 employees andstaff members volunteertheir time to be languageinterpreters for hospitalproviders and limited-English speaking patients,in over 60 languages.• Resource of 175 employeevolunteers who speak 60languages and provideinterpretation services forpatients, families, physiciansand staff employees.• Interpretation and translationservices increased from 12minutes to 20 minutes perpatient.• To purchase this same levelof service from the vendorwould cost the hospitalapproximately $320,000annually. If kept to the sameaverage 12-minute length ofthe telephone service, thecost of a contract vendorwould be an additional$190,000.22