Necessity of Language in the Medical Field

I read an article from a surgeon speaking about the current need for Spanish-speaking doctors. There are 34 million foreign people, and in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, English for many patients is a second language. Doctors now worry that even though they have no part in the new laws in Arizona, that patients wont come in for fear of being questioned. Their ailments can then worsen.

As of now, many hospitals rely on telephone lines that connect them to translators when they are unable to speak with a patient, Spanish or other (and apparently family members are not always trustworthy translators). Patients do feel a sense of relief when they are finally able to be understood.

"So I picked up the phone and dialed into the language line. I put it on speaker so she and her daughter could hear. "Brotha," the patient responded with an instant smile. (Ibo and English must overlap.) The medical translator was on the phone from South Carolina. By the end, my patient had all her questions answered and seemed much more at ease with the prospect of surgery. I also know how to greet my next Ibo patient."

However, with the exception of languages rarer in the US, I think there is a valid need for more doctors who speak multiple languages, such as Spanish and Chinese. In my Spanish for medical students class fall quarter, I was tearing down not only the language barrier that may exist between me and my future patients, but also cultural barriers. It simply is not enough to know a language, because with it come cultural traditions. For example, many Spanish patients may be treating themselves with "zumos," or home remedies. With American doctors, they may fear talking about it for fear of ridicule. It also has to be understood why some Spanish patients may say that they haven't been taking their medicine (they may believe it should only be taken when they are feeling worse). Other Spanish patients suffer from depression because of problems at home (family is very important, traditionally), and may not go to appointments at all because they wish to stay at home. By simply knowing Spanish vocabulary, all of these warning signs may be missed. With language must come a cultural understanding so the patient, especially immigrants, will feel comfortable and safe.

Reference:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/weekly/20100510_Scrubbing_In__It_s_critical_to_speak_patient_s_language.html