Cross-Cultural Initiatives
AT NATIVIDAD:
23 Distinct languages are spoken at Natividad.
11% Natividad patients have no education at all
1 in 3 Natividad patients have low literacy in their native language
41% NMC patients are monolingual Spanish-speakers
Clear communication is crucial to providing effective healthcare. Cross-cultural initiatives help bridge the gap between healthcare providers who struggle to communicate complex medical information to patients with differing cultural values and beliefs and who speak Spanish, indigenous languages such as Triqui and Mixteco, or one of the other languages spoken by our patients.
From an initial stop at the Reception Desk in the lobby to discussions of treatment options, culturally appropriate materials and language access can lead to much improved health outcomes of our patients.
Support is needed to continue Natividad Medical Center's cross-cultural initiatives, including qualified medical interpreter training, materials translations and physician and staff training.
Data based on results from The Community Foundation for Monterey County-Sponsored Health Language & Literacy Survey led by Jason Morgenson, M.D., a third year Natividad Family Practice Resident Physician at the time of the survey. The survey was designed to conduct an objective evaluation of language and basic literacy levels among a sample of 346 patients at Natividad.
 |
 |
||
| Cross-Cultural Initiatives - Medical Interpretation |
English