Challenges of Multilingual Healthcare - Essay Example

 As a result, there is a conflict of languages among the staff and the patients. The primary problem that is faced in this context is to assess that the staff has correctly noted the prescription which the doctor has prescribed and whether they are implementing the organization’s rules and regulations. The Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) is a self-assessment tool that has been designed for the public health care agencies and organizations in the United States to self-assess their communication among staff and patients of diverse cultures and population (COSMOS Corporation, 3-5). There are several questionnaires that the organizations need to fill and then to assess whether there are effective communication and implementation of rules and regulations in the organization or not.
There are several important aspects that help to ensure that the patients of middle-class backgrounds are able to understand the prescription and medical advice from the doctor. For instance, the effective use of verbal and non-verbal communication in a way that they do not conflict with the cultures of the respective patients. According to OHIO State Medical Centre, the most effective way to improve communication in a culturally diverse population is to hire medical interpreters who can interpret the medical prescription in the language of the patient (p.7). Thus, eliminating the problem of the language barrier.
Reference
Effective Verbal and Written Communication with Those from other Cultures, OHIO State Medical Centre (2010). Web. Link: http://medicine.osu.edu/sitetool/sites/pdfs/ahecpublic/Writing_for_other_cultures.pdf
Developing a Self-Assessment Tool for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Local Public Health Agencies, COSMOS Corporation (2003). Web. Link: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/ohpp/clasact/documents/clasact/research/DevelopingSelfAssessment.pdf Read More