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

APPENDIX IStaff Volunteer Interpretation ProgramHoly Cross HospitalCLAS Standards Met: 1, 4-7See page 12 for list of CLAS StandardsISSUE. Holy Cross Hospital’s core market area demographics include 13 percent AsianAmericans and 17 percent Hispanic/Latino Americans. Over the past five years, Holy Crosshas spent thousands of dollars paying for contract language interpretation services to serve itslimited English proficient (LEP) patients. With a diverse and multilingual employeepopulation, Holy Cross implemented the Staff Volunteer Interpretation Program as alanguage services improvement project and a potential cost-saving initiative.DISCUSSION. Holy Cross Hospital is a faith-based, mission-driven community teachinghospital in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., primarily serving the residents ofMontgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The hospital is a member of Trinity Health ofNovi, Michigan, the nation’s fourth largest Catholic health care system.Holy Cross Hospital’s core market has a large and growing immigrant population withsignificant economic and health care disparities. Seventeen percent of patients who come tothe hospital speak or prefer a language other than English and four percent of all patientsrequest an interpreter. Initially, Holy Cross chose to contract for professional interpretationservices. However, the demand for consistent and reliable language interpretation serviceshas grown. The hospital recognized the limitations of telephonic interpretation services andthe advantages of interpretation services by staff volunteers.To improve the process of communication for LEP patients and those providing their care,Holy Cross hired a manager of Multicultural Services and launched the Office ofMulticultural Services. The office established and now coordinates the Staff VolunteerInterpretations Program, an initiative to help hospital patients with limited Englishproficiency access and use the hospital and its programs.Volunteer interpreters were identified and trained in patient confidentiality issues andaccompanied existing interpreters until they were experienced enough to interpret on theirown. Holy Cross discourages patients from using family members or friends as interpreters.The hospital meets the language needs of its patient population and their families in a numberof ways, including bilingual staff, contract interpretation services, and volunteerinterpretation. Patients are informed of their rights to these services and are told that theyneed not rely on family members to be interpreters.BENEFITS/RESULTS. After establishing the Staff Volunteer Interpretation Program, HolyCross Hospital in fiscal year 2005 had:• An active in-house language resource of 175 employee volunteers who spoke 60languages and provided interpretation services for patients, families, physicians andstaff employees.• In-person volunteer interpretation services averaging 20 minutes per patient.50