MINNEAPOLIS, February 8, 2010 – The Minnesota Medical Association is offering clinics free trainings about improving patient care by effectively using interpreters.

The MMA trainings include the dos and don’ts of providing interpreter services, such as the “don’t” of relying on family members. The MMA has sponsored the trainings in partnership with the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Trainings have been held in Mankato and St. Paul.

“We have been offering these trainings to help clinics provide the best possible care to patients who may need an interpreter because English is their second language,” said Dionne Hart, M.D., chair of the MMA’s Minority and Cross Cultural Affairs Committee.

Clinics and hospitals are required to offer interpreters to non-English speaking patients because of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Interpreter services are required for disabled patients, such as deaf patients, under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you are interested in trying to schedule a training at your clinic, contact Mandy Rubenstein (612) 362-3740 Manager of Physician Outreach – Northern and Central Minnesota, or Dennis Gerhardstein (612) 362-3745, Manager of Physician Outreach – Twin Cities and Southern Minnesota.

Pushing for coverage
The MMA has also worked to increase funding for interpreter services by supporting legislation that would require all health plans toreimburse providers or pay interpreters directly for language services for deaf patients and non-English speaking patients. Private insurers typically don’t pay for these services in Minnesota.

During the 2007 legislative session, the MMA reached an historic agreement with health plans to reimburse for interpreter services provided for their enrollees. The agreement did not pass, however, because of opposition from Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the business community.

CLAS standards
The MMA Minority and Cross Cultural Affairs Committee started offering its trainings as part of its mission to educate physicians about the National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), which the federal government encourages providers to use to make their practices more culturally and linguistically accessible.

CLAS standards that relate to the provision of interpreter services:

Standard 4
Health care organizations must offer and provide language assistance services, including bilingual staff and interpreter services, at no cost to each patient/consumer with limited English proficiency at all points of contact, in a timely manner during all hours of operation.

Standard 5
Health care organizations must provide to patients/consumers in their preferred language both verbal offers and written notices informing them of their right to receive language assistance services.

Standard 6
Health care organizations must assure the competence of language assistance provided to limited English proficient patients/consumers by interpreters and bilingual staff. Family and friends should not be used to provide interpretation services (except on request by the patient/consumer).

Standard 7
Health care organizations must make available easily understood patient-related materials and post signage in the languages of the commonly encountered groups and/or groups represented in the service area.

Source: http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=15

For more information, visit http://www.mmaonline.net/KeyIssues/CrossCulturalHealth/tabid/2811/Default.aspx