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Governor Kaine Announces Spanish Language Internet Resource for Health Care Providers and Consumers
– Ultimately, site will accommodate 24 additional foreign languages –

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the launch of the Virginia Department of Health's (VDH) new Cultural and Linguistic Appropriate Standards, or CLAS Act, Internet site.  The site is designed tassist health care providers in delivering culturally competent care for their limited English proficient patients.

It contains many commonly used phrases in the clinical setting, their Spanish translations, and audifiles where listeners can practice correctly pronouncing these phrases.  Over time, as many as 24 additional languages will be added.

“The CLAS Act Web site is a great tool for Virginia residents that require language assistance in order treceive the best care possible,” said Governor Kaine. “It should be emphasized, however, that the site is a tool and not a replacement for regular interaction with doctors and other medical professionals. This is another important step for giving Virginia’s health care community the proper resources that it requires tprovide the necessary services tthe entire Commonwealth.”

VDH’s Office of Health Policy and Planning (OHPP) alswill release a CLAS Act Resource Directory, identifying successful programs and resources for health providers timprove their ability tdeliver core health care services tlimited English proficiency patients.  

“The OHPP is proud to support Governor Kaine and are proud of his leadership on this critical issue,” said Kathy Wibberly from OHPP. “We have worked with various statewide partners, like the Sharpe Community Scholars at the College of William and Mary, timprove health care providers’ ability tcommunicate more effectively with Virginia’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities in order tensure that patients are receiving the best available care.”

The OHPP created the site toffer a comprehensive resource for culturally and linguistically appropriate health care resources. According tVDH, improvements in communication will lead tbetter health outcomes, greater patient satisfaction, and a decrease in the cost of health care due tdelays in accessing basic preventive care. Medical errors and inefficiencies due tcompromised comprehension will alsbe minimized by enhanced communication abilities.

For more information on the CLAS Act Virginia Web site, visit: http://CLASActVirginia.vdh.virginia.gov.

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Examples of CLAS Act Web site resources:

•       A listing of multicultural health and human service programs in Virginia
•       Commonly used clinical phrases in English and Spanish - a new feature that will be coming soon are audifiles of these phrases in Spanish. 
•       Guidance on how ttranslate materials and use interpreters effectively.
•       Where taccess translated health education materials.
•       Virginia studies and reports on immigrants, refugees, and their health care needs.
•       Upcoming events such as conferences and training related tculturally and linguistically appropriate health care.

In addition tthe Web site, a guidebook called Community Health with CLAS was created by the Sharpe Community Scholars at the College of William and Mary.  The guidebook serves as a resource for practitioners and community health leaders in delivering culturally competent care tthis population.

Other Facts

May is National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population in Virginia grew by tw-thirds, and the Hispanic population more than doubled.

According tthe 2000 Virginia Census, 11 percent of Virginia residents over age five speak a primary language other than English.  Of this population:

• 41% speak English "less than very well"
• 21% live in "linguistically isolated households" (households where nmember 14 years old and over speaks "only English" or ...speaks English "very well")
• These individuals would be considered limited English proficient (LEP) in the health care context

Virginia is among the top 15 states for refugee resettlement, the top 10 states with the largest immigrant resident population, and the top 10 states for intended residence of new arrivals.  Between 2000 and 2004, the number of students receiving English as a Second Language (ESL) through Virginia public schools increased by 82 percent (from 36,799 t66,970)

Impact of demographic changes on healthcare:

Patients whneeded but didn’t get interpreters (in comparison tthose whhad an interpreter):

• Over 27% did NOT understand medication instructions as compared with 2%
• Only 45% experienced the facility as “open and accepting” as compared with 74% 
• Over 32% said they would NOT use the facility if they became insured as compared with 10% (Access Project 2002 Study findings).

VDH initiated a statewide research project aimed at identifying the healthcare needs of Virginia’s racial and ethnic populations in 2000.  Focus groups comprised of Virginia’s multicultural healthcare consumers found that most needed an interpreter for their clinic visits and of those whneeded an interpreter:

• 54.4%   Used family and friends
• 13.6%   Used bilingual volunteers
• 12.1%   Used bilingual medical staff
• 8.4%   Knew enough English t“get by”
• 7.5%   Used nonprofessional staff
• 3.0%   Used professional medical interpreters

According ta 2003 study, errors in medical interpretation are common, averaging 31 per clinical encounter, with omissions as the most frequent type.  Most errors have potential clinical consequences, and those committed by ad hoc interpreters are significantly more likely thave potential clinical consequences than those committed by trained medical interpreters.

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