Physician & Health Care Leaders Endorse Public Policy Principles to Improve Language Access in Health Care.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 2003 Nineteen key physician and health care organizations have endorsed and are promoting jointly developed public policy principles to improve language services to patients in California with limited English proficiency. Meeting over the past two years as part of the statewide Medical Leadership Council on Language Access, these key health provider organizations have developed recommendations for ensuring that all patients can communicate appropriately with their health care providers. Each of the endorsing organizations has formally adopted the principles through its own policy setting process. The policy statement can be accessed at www.familydocs.org/mlc. "This is groundbreaking work," said Robert K. Ross, MD, President & CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of The California Endowment and sponsor of the Council meetings. "This is the first time that such a broad coalition of physician and medical association leaders has focused on the serious need to provide interpretation and translation services to patients with limited-English proficiency." The Endowment, a statewide health foundation, is committed to improving language access and cultural competence cultural competence Social medicine The ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with persons from cultures and/or belief systems other than one's own in the health care work force. In recent months, members of the Council's policy subcommittee drafted the comprehensive "Public Policy Principles for Language Access and Interpreter Services in California." The principles outline: (1) the importance of language access; (2) organizing principles for provider education, workforce issues, organization and access, written resources, quality assessment, and payment; and (3) policy options for implementation in the state's Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program, State Children's Health Children's Health Definition Children's health encompasses the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of children from infancy through adolescence. Insurance Program (SCHIP SCHIP State Children's Health Insurance Program )(Healthy Families), Medicare and managed care. The Council's latest meeting was held in Sacramento on September 18, 2003. Since then, representatives of the organizations have visited lawmakers to recommend ways to improve language access services and are promoting action on these principles among their many thousands of physician and community members. "A physician's first responsibility is the care of his or her patients," said Leonard Fromer, MD, of the California Academy of Family (CAFP CAFP Canadian Association of Financial Planners CAFP California Academy of Family Physicians CAFP Caribbean Agriculture & Fisheries Programme CAFP Common Area Fill Port ) Physicians Foundation, the lead administrative organization for the Council. "To provide the outstanding care we strive to deliver, physicians and patients need to be able to communicate clearly. Colleagues and I already see large numbers of patients who speak little or no English, and official estimates indicate that by 2010, about 50 percent of California's population may have language access needs. Medical Leadership Council members want to ensure that all patients in California have true access to health care." The California Endowment plans to continue convening the Council, and to encourage member organizations to pilot effective means of providing increased language access services. "The Council is an unprecedented model for members of organized medicine, health plans, hospitals and consumer advocates to work together to identify policy and funding solutions," said Fromer of the CAFP Foundation. "Now that we've agreed on principles, we will continue to work together on adopting policies and implementing practices that will put those principles into operation in ways that ultimately ensure critical language access for all Californians." Endorsing organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics The American Academy of Pediatrics ("AAP") is an organization of pediatricians, physicians trained to deal with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. Its motto is: "Dedicated to the Health of All Children. , California American College of Emergency Physicians The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the largest organization of emergency physicians in the United States. It was founded in 1968 and is now headquartered in Dallas,Texas. , California Chapter American Indian American Indian or Native American or Amerindian or indigenous American Any member of the various aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere, with the exception of the Eskimos (Inuit) and the Aleuts. Health Professionals of California Asian Pacific Islander American Pacific Islander Americans are residents of the United States with original ancestry from the Pacific Islands. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population. Health Forum California Academy of Family Physicians California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems California Chapter of the American College of Physicians The American College of Physicians (ACP) is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine (internists), physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illnesses in adults. California Healthcare Association California Medical Association California Primary Care Association Catholic Healthcare West Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) is a California not-for-profit public benefit corporation that operates hospitals in California, Arizona, and Nevada[1]. As such, it is exempt from federal and state income taxes. Golden State Medical Association San Diego County Medical Society San Francisco Medical Society Santa Clara County Medical Society Scripps Health Sierra-Sacramento Valley Medical Society St. Joseph Health System Sutter Health |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion