Language Access Management
You've just been given the responsibility to develop a language access plan to meet the legal requirements of equal access in healthcare. So you hire an interpreter. But, the individual is struggling with healthcare terms and policies. The interpreter is uncomfortable, the patient is unsure, and the provider is frustrated.
It's a common situation we remedy with uncommon solutions. We create systems that encompass all areas of your organization—from administration and management to providers and patients.
We achieve this with our four-step process: Understanding. Defining. Meeting needs. Controlling.
Step #1: Understanding needs.
Your needs. Knowing who, what, where and when is crucial to create a sustainable language access management system that complements your other internal processes.
Interpreter needs. Creating a successful environment for interpreters will depend on understanding the tools, management techniques, resources, and training needed. This is important to retain key talent and increase ROI.
Step #2: Defining expectations.
Vendor. Well-defined expectations are instrumental in selecting the modes to meet your organization's language access needs. Proper vendor selection—internal and external—depends on this step. It will help you manage these relationships and facilitate organizational training and education about how to best work with these services and vendors.
Interpreter. A clear understanding of what's expected of them and the role they fill within the organization ensures the interpreter is part of the treatment team within the guidelines of professional interpreting. Other healthcare staff will recognize the interpreter's role and be able to better meet the needs of their community.
Step #3: Meeting needs.
Your organization. When your needs are understood and expectations are defined, we can create a language access system customized to your organization. Customization involves variations of service delivery, external vendors and internal language access departments.
Interpreter. Creating a successful environment for interpreters requires understanding the tools, management techniques, and resources needed to retain talent and increase ROI. By meeting interpreters' training and education needs, they are better able to perform language services that are well-thought-out and sensitive to your particular organization. It also leads to decreased time and cost for limited-English speaking patients, resulting in better satisfaction.
Step #4: Controlling process.
Language access plan. Holding vendors accountable for the services agreed upon in your language access plan will ensure your providers and your patients are getting the best services. Working with your vendors over a period of time, your relationship should be one of partnership, with the vendor fully invested in the success of your organization.
Interpreting staff. Accountability is key. Clear expectations outlined in your plan's defining phase should still be a relevant plan by which managers can measure service delivery. In addition, they should have a good understanding of how to advance the careers of tenured interpreters, who can offer the greatest value and ROI to your organization. Healthcare interpreting is a growing industry, the management tools you provide to your interpreting staff will determine whether a trained interpreter will stay or go.
Retaining valued vendors. When vendors feel like they are a valued member of your team, they will be a willing resource for audits, efficiencies and training your entire organization. Exceptional language services, cultural awareness and appropriate consulting, will no longer be seen as an expense but rather a wise investment for increasing physician and patient satisfaction.
Retaining valued interpreters will minimize risk and quality issues. It will make services predictable and efficient. It will increase employee, medical staff and patient satisfaction by having a consistent service that is recognized for its value to the organization. As with any employee, a tenured interpreter will be able to bring new ideas and process improvements that will enhance the organization indefinitely.