- Patient Support Services
- August 19, 2019
Lacking Translation Services, Lacking Healthcare
One of the many excellent services offered by Bluestem Health of Lincoln, Nebraska is their translation services.
9 min read
One of the many excellent services offered by Bluestem Health of Lincoln, Nebraska is their translation services. Lincoln, Nebraska was designated as “a refugee-friendly city” in 1970 by the government and soon became one of the “Top 10 Most Welcoming Cities in America” because of its size, the educational system, and stable economy. Refugees from over 40 countries have made their way to the Capital City. The largest refugee population recently was close to 1,500 since the year 2000. These refugees were from the Karen population and were fleeing political and ethnic wars. Since the turn of the century, 5,500 total refugees from places like Burma, Bosnia, Vietnam, Mexico, Russia, Sudan, China, Afghanistan, Iraq, and more have come and are still arriving. These numbers do not even include families who were sent to other states first and moved to Lincoln after. Needless to say, Lincoln, Nebraska is in need of translation services and Bluestem Health of Lincoln, Nebraska offers these services.
Bluestem Health’s Translation Services
Faysal, one of Bluestem Health’s translators, is proud to have been working at Bluestem Health since December of 2015. Originally from Northern Iraq, Faysal worked with the US military from 2005-2011, but since most of the bases closed, he moved his wife and two sons to Lincoln, Nebraska to provide translation services in our community. He loves, “connecting people and being a bridge between two cultures, people, and languages” and he loves living in the U.S. Faysal is well aware of how important translation services are for these patients, and he is passionate to provide them with translation services which help them receive quality care.
Why do Translation Services Matter?
Research shows that lacking patient-provider communication is the largest cause of serious negative results and gaps in care. Without translation services according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Patients in the US are more likely to:
- Report poor health,
- Decline needed care
- Leave the hospital against medical advice
- Miss follow-up appointments
- And, experience drug complications.”
When providers cannot understand patient symptoms and do not offer interpretive or translation services, the result is unnecessary diagnostic tests and procedures, as well as higher rates of misdiagnosis and hospital readmission.
The Bottom Line with Translation Services
The bottom line is that cultural, interpretive, and translation services are essential to delivering quality healthcare. Nebraska ranks fifth in refugee resettlement per capita compared to other states of similar population.
Comprehensive Translation Services
At Bluestem Health, Faysal is able to offer translation services to anywhere from 10-50 people a day. He loves Bluestem because he feels that they offer the most comprehensive translation services when compared to any other health clinic. He urges anyone, not just refugees, to visit the Bluestem Health Facebook page, their website, or call 402-476-1455 for more information, to spread the word about all services, but especially the translation services Bluestem has to offer. These services include, but are not limited to translation services for:
Bluestem Health of Lincoln, Nebraska is fortunate to have the ability to offer translation services by experienced translators like Faysal, who loves making a difference in our beautiful, diverse community every day.
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