Providing Interpreter Services
SafeGuard Services for Healthy Families/Healthy Kids
/Medi-Cal Programs
For Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients, access to interpreter services is vital to receiving quality care.
The ability to communicate effectively has a great impact on all people seeking health care. For LEP patients, it can be an even greater challenge. Research has shown that many LEP patients hesitate before obtaining services, fearing they will be unable to fully express their concerns or completely understand the physician's diagnosis and instructions. Unfortunately, many times this hesitation can delay care, leading to escalating symptoms. The health services for treatment that are normally provided in a medical office environment must be accessed through emergency facilities instead.
For those who do obtain health services, there are sometimes problems interacting with their doctors. Some couldn't understand their diagnosis, and in some cases, cultural misunderstandings led to negative health outcomes and seriously compromised the quality of care.
In order to address these issues, public-sponsored programs are required to provide access to interpreter services for their participants. These programs greatly encourage the use of interpreters in place of family members or friends.
LEP patients have the right to not use family members as interpreters.
Receiving health care is a sensitive issue. Having a patient's friend or family member as an interpreter violates confidentiality and can create an embarrassing situation for the patient.
Reasons for using an interpreter:
- Interpreters are trained to be culturally sensitive and understand health care terminology.
- Using anyone other than a trained interpreter violates confidentiality and may lower the quality of the interaction.
- Minors, who are being used as interpreters, may not be able to cope with the severity of a disease and/or treatment.
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What SafeGuard Offers
SafeGuard offers interpretive services for SafeGuard participants of the Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, and Medi-Cal programs.
SafeGuard has contracted with Language Line Services to provide over-the-telephone interpretive services for more than 150 languages. This is available through our Customer Service Department during normal business hours and through our answering service after hours. Customer Service can be contacted at 800.880.9080, Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Interpreters may assist members with questions during an office visit and there is no charge for this service.
Published by SafeGuard Health Plans, Inc. March 2006.
