Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for August 2010

Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information


Joint Commission Issues Roadmap for Hospitals:

Earlier this month the Joint Commission issued its free monograph, Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care: A Roadmap for Hospitals. It is an extensive guide to help hospitals comply with new standards for patient-centered communication, which enters its implementation pilot phase beginning January 1, 2011.

Eventually hospitals will have to meet these communication standards to maintain their accreditation. The Roadmap for Hospitals includes example practices, information on laws and regulations, and links to supplemental information, model policies and educational tools. According to the Joint Commission, “As cultural, communication, mobility, and other basic patient needs go unmet; hospitals will continue to put themselves and their patients at risk for negative consequences.”

A representative of Language Line Services is available to talk about the language access issues and best practices addressed in the monograph, which include identifying a patient’s preferred language and ensuring the competency of individuals providing language services. For more information, contact Shawn Yanan at or at (305) 962-1768.


Hispanic Parents Face Language Barriers in Schools:

With Hispanic enrollment surging in U.S. public schools, many Spanish-speaking parents are having trouble helping their children with homework or communicating with teachers as English-immersion classes proliferate.

According to a nationwide poll, 78% of Hispanics have children enrolled in K-12 classes that are taught mostly in English. And, of that group, 57% of  the parents that primarily speak Spanish are more likely to send their children to relatives or friends for help with homework or other classroom issues than tackle the issue themselves.

If this is a subject you’d like to pursue, I can connect you with representatives of Language Line Services who can review how under Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act public schools have an obligation to provide information about students’ activities in parents’ native languages, as well as discuss the phone interpretation and document translation services the company provides to public schools throughout the country. Contact Adriana Infante at 305.461-5794 or Adriana.infante@rbbpr.com to arrange interviews.


ABOUT LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES

Language Line Services, the world’s leading provider of language-based services, is a trusted partner to thousands of organizations whose focus is to effectively serve the rapidly expanding market of limited English speakers.

The company delivers a dynamic suite of solutions spanning translation, phone, video and on-site interpretation, interpreter testing and training, and localization, enabling clients to communicate with customers in their preferred language.

Through its leading-edge technology infrastructure, Language Line Services provides support for more than 170 languages to its industry-leading portfolio of clients across markets including health care, financial services, government, telecom, manufacturing, insurance, entertainment, travel, and more.

For information on how Language Line Services is helping clients achieve their strategic multi-cultural marketing and regulatory compliance objectives, please call 1-800-752-6096.

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