New York State Conference on Increasing Language Access to Healthcare: Toward Effective National and State Policy. Inclusive Dates: 09/01/06 - 08/31/07.

摘要

The objectives of the conference were to: (1) Promote the development of New York State and national language access policy. (2) Transfer knowledge generated by recent research which has documented the critical importance of removing language barriers to healthcare, the mechanisms for transcending those barriers, and improvements in clinical and health systems practices as a result of removing linguistic barriers; (3) Facilitate exchange of information and assessment of the growing experience of healthcare providers and policy makers with different strategies, mechanisms, innovative technologies, and evidence-based best practices for enhancing linguistic access for LEP individuals; and (4) Increase researchers attention to language access by identifying additional needed knowledge areas. By sharing the growing body of research addressing these issues, the conference helped participants see ways to move forward at the state and national levels to implement needed changes and improve language access. Conference participants considered the following questions: (1) How can specific linguistic access models, innovative approaches, activities, and procedures alleviate language barriers and ensure effective linguistic access; (2) How can these multiple language access technologies and approaches be replicated and adapted in different healthcare settings; (3) What sustainable funding mechanisms can ensure that the healthcare system secures the cost savings available from improved language access; (4) What state and national language policy frameworks for the training and accreditation of language service providers will most effectively meet healthcare needs.