Research shows that racial minorities tend to have poorer health status, poorer access to health services, and poorer health care outcomes. Relatively little is understood about the underlying social, economic and medical factors contributing to these disparities. However, public hospitals and health systems throughout California are taking steps to address this problem through disease management programs targeted to specific populations, interpreter services, cultural competence training and other efforts designed to embrace and celebrate the cultural diversity of our communities. SNI’s LEAD and Language Access programs have focused on such topics as promoting linguistic access to health care services and building a culturally competent health care organization.

• LEADing Cultural Change
• Language Access Contiuum

In addition, SNI has been a supportive partner as public hospitals in California implement remote video and voice technologies to significantly increase access to qualified interpreters and is currently working with the Health Care Interpreter Network (HCIN), a system of shared remote interpreter services operated by Northern California public hospitals. Utilizing one of the world’s first Video/Voice Over IP Call Centers to create access to trained interpreter services, participating healthcare providers in this model are using interpreters at their own hospitals or at colleague hospitals through videoconferencing and various telephone technologies. The Video/Voice Over IP Call Center is currently operating at San Joaquin General Hospital, Contra Costa Health Services (at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Concord Health Center), San Mateo Medical Center, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

An earlier and similarly exciting effort, funded by The California Endowment, links interpreters between San Francisco General Hospital and Alameda County Medical Center using remote video and voice technologies. Evaluation results will become available soon.