Category: Blog

When a Limited English Proficient (LEP) person comes to your emergency room, law office, or parent-teacher conference, it’s important to have a professional language services provider on hand to interpret, even if a bilingual child or family member is also in attendance. Interpretation requires a select set of skills that not every speaker can master and an industry-specific vocabulary a child or layman likely does not possess.

How do you navigate situations like this with your LEP clientele? We’ve compiled a few handy reminders of why professional interpreters should be used in each critical encounter!

1. Family members can be biased.

Ready to explain a complex medical procedure your LEP patient needs? A family member may not be up for the challenge and may, “sugar-coat” your words to have an easier conversation or inadvertently miss the facts. Professional interpreters are free of bias and will treat your LEP patient with the same respect and directness as you do.

2. Friends or family may not be familiar with the necessary vocabulary.

A professional interpreter will find the most appropriate word or phrase to accurately interpret what you ask or describe. Legal jargon? Medical vocabulary? These are not, “child’s play”.  A qualified interpreter will not struggle or use an inappropriate word in its place.

3. “Bilingual” does not equal “qualified to interpret”.

Interpretation is a highly specialized occupation, requiring the interpreter to listen in one language, determine the best interpretation, and then speak in another language. To go back and forth in this way requires patience and training, qualifications your average bilingual speaker likely isn’t ready to take on for any length of time.

4. Government mandates may dictate a qualified interpreter be used.

Bilingual speakers may not legally meet the requirements of the communication at hand.  We can explain in detail how Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 131664, or the Joint Commission’s requirements set the scene for exactly how your communication is to take place with an LEP speaker.

5. Risks outweigh the reward.

Many affordable interpretation solutions exist to ensure LEP communication is accurate, clear, and unbiased. You shouldn’t have to risk a lawsuit down the line because an LEP’s child misinterpreted the dosage of medication or due date of an important document.

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A country of immigrants, language trends in the U.S. are constantly shifting: Currently 60.6 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home and 65 percent of companies face language barriers that contribute to inefficiency, ineffective collaboration, and low productivity.

Today’s U.S. immigrants come from countries like Mexico, India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, El Salvador, Cuba, Korea, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala (the top ten represented in order of most to least immigrants). Shifts are evident even in a comparison to 1980 census data–25.9 million more Spanish speakers exist and Vietnamese speakers increased by 599 percent. Russian, Persian, and Armenian speakers more than doubled.

Come 2020, projections suggest the 60.6 million people in the U.S. speaking a language other than English could jump to 68.1 million. Spanish is expected to continue to represent a majority of LEP’s language use, totaling more than 60 percent by 2020, so having bilingual staff on hand will continue to be of value. While the number of speakers of some languages may slowly decrease (French, Italian, German, Polish, and Korean), we can expect others to increase (Portuguese, Russian, Hindi, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Arabic).

Curious about migration trends by state? Via Migration Policy Institute, the top five states taking in immigrants are California (10.3 million), New York and Texas (4.4 million each), Florida (3.8 million), and New Jersey (1.9 million). Look at the number of immigrants in reference to the state’s overall population and Nevada becomes a contender.

Language trends are also evidenced by the largest percentage of growth in immigrants by state – Between 2000 and 2014, the five states with the largest percent growth of the immigrant population were Tennessee and Kentucky (102 percent each), Wyoming (101 percent), North Dakota (99 percent), and South Carolina (97 percent).

Source: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub

Are you up to speed on the latest regulations and standards of practice that could impact your compliance efforts?

What is “The Final Rule”, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act?

“The Final Rule”, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act finally codifies and gives guidance on the requirements for language assistance services for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).

Will Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act affect me?

It is estimated that the rule will apply to the majority of 908,000 practicing physicians in the U.S, over 400,000 laboratories, close to 200 health plans and over 130,000 hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies and other facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid.

What if I don’t comply with Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act?

The failure to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to health programs and activities (because of the lack of language assistance services) to the 25 million LEP individuals in the U.S. is a form of discrimination based on national origin.  Non-compliance can include suspension or termination of federal funding, and individuals can sue in federal court and can receive damages.

We all love computers, well, most of us, but we know computers will never replace a human.  Humans will always value human interaction.  Customer service now defines brands and their value, and greatly affects buyer decision-making, even more so than cost. Bad customer service costs US companies $41 billion a year (Source).

• By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.
• After a positive customer experience, 69% of Americans would recommend that company to others
• 60% of consumers favor a balance of price and service and will not accept low service levels in exchange for a cheap deal.
• A 1% improvement in first Call Response = $276,000 in annual operational savings for the average call center
• Companies focused on providing a superior experience across customer journeys realized a 10-15% increase in revenue and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction. – Source

Customer service on a one-to-one basis is being reduced.  With the rise of social media, customers are now supported by organizations via public conversations on Twitter and Facebook.  Social media must be a tool in your customer service toolkit.

• Customers who encounter positive social customer care experiences are nearly 3 times more likely to recommend a brand.
• Additionally, 42% of people will tell their friends about a good customer experience on social, while 53% will talk about a bad one.
• And major brands aren’t just adopting social customer service: they’re making it a major priority. – Source

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Are you one of the 200,000 American students studying Mandarin Chinese? Compare that to estimates of 300 to 400 million Chinese students studying English. President Barack Obama announced an initiative in September to increase that number to one million by 2020.

“If our countries are going to do more together around the world, then speaking each other’s language, truly understanding each other, is a good place to start,” Obama said at the joint press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Obama’s program will be administered by the nonprofit 100,000 Strong Foundation and promises to build a new generation of international leaders who will engage with China effectively.

Travis Tanner, senior vice-president and chief operating officer at the 100,000 Strong Foundation, says the initiative will “ensure our trade relationship with China continues to benefit the American economy, and that the future generation of American entrepreneurs, business owners, journalists, engineers, scientists, doctors, as well as government officials at both the national and state levels, understand China.”

Best of luck to all new Mandarin students in the coming years!

Interested in learning more about how LSA can help with your interpretation or translation needs? Contact us today!

Language Services Associates (LSA) is always seeking opportunities to help people. Recently our monthly donation to Watsi’s Universal Fund helped Daniel–an 8-year-old boy from Ethiopia–to receive a needed surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease, which affects the colon.

Daniel lives with his younger brother and his mother, whose single-parent income has not been enough to pay for long-term solutions to Daniel’s health. Several years ago, Daniel underwent a colostomy to treat an obstruction, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF) reports. Daniel needs an additional surgery to fully treat his disease, one which Watsi donors including LSA have made possible.

“Despite everything, Daniel is a very happy boy and he has a very positive outlook on life,” AMHF said. “He is dreaming that if he gets well from this condition, he can go to school and become a big government officer.”

Interested in helping patients like Daniel? Learn more about becoming a member of Watsi’s Universal Fund at Watsi.org and meet other patients that need your help!

“We believe everyone deserves healthcare, and we’re making that a reality, one patient at a time.”

– Chase Adam, Founder of Watsi

Images via IMDB.com

Language may not be universal, but screams are! In preparation for Halloween, LSA has compiled some of the most popular foreign language horror films for your next gruesome movie night. Share your favorite fright below!

1. Thirst (“Bakjwi”) – 2009, Korea – Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2009, the film is a vampire romance that tells the story of a priest who volunteers for a medical experiment to save his constituents.
2. Let the Right One In (“Låt Den Rätte Komma In”) – 2008, Sweden – Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, bullied boy Oskar is befriended by Eli, who is more than she seems.
3. The Orphanage (“El Orfanato”) – 2007, Spain – Spain’s highest-grossing film in 2007, this is a classic ghost story set in the orphanage a woman returns to with her family.
4. The Host (“Gwoemul”) – 2007, South Korea – The highest-grossing film in South Korean history, the tale is a family drama mixed with gore as a monster created by chemical dumping kidnaps a girl.
5. Audition (“Ôdishon”) – 1999, Japan – A widower allows a string of women to ‘audition’ for his hand, and the one who strikes his fancy has a gruesome fetish.
6. Cronos – 1993, Spain – Director Guillermo Del Toro’s introduction to the world, Cronos follows an antiques dealer who is pierced by one of his pieces and takes on some sinister traits.

Need some more thrills? You have a scary slew of Spanish choices here. Want to narrow your choices to the 21st century? Invest your time with these top ten terrors.

To learn more about how LSA can help you communicate with your Limited English Proficient (LEP) clients, contact LSA today!

Whether it’s through language or medical support, Language Services Associates (LSA) loves to help people across the world. Our recent donation to Watsi’s Universal Fund means that Restetuta–a 54-year old woman from Uganda–will receive treatment for an inguinal hernia that has plagued her for years. Learn more about Restetuta’s story below.

A mother of 10 children, Restetuta is always putting others first, even when it comes to her health. Restetuta has been suffering with her hernia for four years now, managing pain with medication but putting off costly surgery. Thankfully, Restetuta was referred to Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), to cover the cost of surgical repair.

If Restetuta continued to avoid surgery, AMHF reports she could face life threatening complications. “The hernia can get obstructed or strangulated causing intestinal perforation,” AMHF said.

After surgery, Restetuta will be able to return to her family in full health, weaving baskets and tending their garden. She and her husband are overjoyed.

Interested in helping patients like Restetuta? Check out more about becoming a member of Watsi’s Universal Fund at Watsi.org and meet other patients that need your help!

“We believe everyone deserves healthcare, and we’re making that a reality, one patient at a time.”

– Chase Adam, Founder of Watsi

Helping people with language support is always our goal, but we’re also honored to help patients across the world! Through our monthly donations to Watsi’s Universal Fund, we help patients receive important medical treatments. Recently LSA’s donation went to Kim–a 61-year-old man from Cambodia–who will undergo surgery to remove his eyes’ pterygiums. Learn more about Kim’s story below.

Kim is a father of five and grandfather to one, making his sight of utmost importance. However, pterygiums in his eyes, growths from unprotected sun exposure that cause blurred vision and a burning sensation, put a damper on Kim’s day-to-day life and make his work in construction nearly impossible. The necessary surgery will restore his vision and eliminate discomfort.

“After the surgery, he is looking forward to no pain, going back to his construction job, and he even says he will try to get a second job as a taxi driver to make extra money for his family,” Watsi’s medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC) reports. Playing a little harder with the children may also be in store!

We’re glad to have helped Kim receive his needed medical treatment, and you can join us! Visit Watsi.org to learn more and meet the patients across the world that need your help!

“We believe everyone deserves healthcare, and we’re making that a reality, one patient at a time.”

– Chase Adam, Founder of Watsi

We’re so honored to be a member of Watsi’s Universal Fund, helping patients across the world to receive the medical treatments they desperately need through our monthly donations. It’s simple–we enjoy helping people, whether through language support or meeting medical needs. Recently LSA’s donation went to Genesis–a 1-year-old girl from Guatemala–who will undergo treatment for acute pediatric malnutrition over a 3-month period. Learn more about Genesis’ story below.

A wildflower lover, Genesis was not meeting developmental milestones due to her acute malnutrition.  Genesis’ immune system and energy levels would also be affected if left untreated. Her scheduled treatment will gradually introduce essential nutrients into her diet and provide her with de-worming to increase her caloric intake, Watsi’s medical partner Wuqu’ Kawoq (WK) reports.

Genesis’ mother expressed her happiness that treatment can now take place: “I want to see her run around the house again, and have the energy to play with her toys. I love her so much.”

We’re excited to have helped Genesis receive this medical treatment! Are you interested in helping patients through Watsi’s Universal Fund? Visit Watsi.org to learn how the fund works and meet the patients across the world that need your help!

“We believe everyone deserves healthcare, and we’re making that a reality, one patient at a time.”

– Chase Adam, Founder of Watsi

Language Services Associates (LSA) is so honored to be a member of Watsi’s Universal Fund! Through our monthly donations to the nonprofit, we help patients across the world receive the medical treatments they desperately need. Recently LSA’s donation went to Musa–a 17-year-old boy from Tanzania–who will undergo surgery to remove scar tissue from a severe childhood burn, restoring his range of motion. Learn more about Musa’s story below.

A talented artist and student of history, English, and science, Musa hopes to become a primary school teacher one day. Musa has achieved his success despite a severe contracture of his axilla, elbow, and wrist, which has severely limited his movement for 14 years. The contracture was the result of a burn when his blanket caught fire as a toddler.

Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, happily reports, “Musa is doing well. Burn contracture release of the axilla and elbow was done successfully.”

Musa is also pleased: “I am so happy that the part of my arm which was attached to my body is now free. My arm is much more flexible now than before. I cannot wait to have a straight arm; I will be able to perform many things with ease.”

We are thrilled to be able to help Musa receive this important medical treatment! Interested in becoming a member of Watsi’s Universal Fund? Visit Watsi.org to learn more and meet the patients across the world that need your help!

“We believe everyone deserves healthcare, and we’re making that a reality, one patient at a time.”

– Chase Adam, Founder of Watsi

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There’s no doubt that studying English can be just as taxing as it is rewarding, but sometimes a little motivation from a 90s rock band doesn’t hurt.

Matt Westerberg is a Peace Corps teacher in northern Ethiopia, where the national language is Amharic (one of 86 living languages) but knowing English is crucial to enrollment in universities or career development. Matt teaches 9th grade English and runs the school’s English club. Fortunately for Matt’s students, they have a taste for the grunge rock he loves and incorporates into the classroom.

“After class one day I jokingly wrote the chorus line to Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” on the chalkboard,” Matt writes. “I thought it would be funny to have the kids try and learn it. They laughed their way through it. The next day, they demanded to try it again.”

Matt describes how learning the song “Even Flow” together opened up even the shiest of his students. Eventually they mastered the song and were requesting more lyrics to learn. When class finished on time, Matt would sprinkle in lyrics from Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”

“Grunge is so far from anything they normally listen to in Ethiopia, ” Matt says. “However, they love the energy of it and a few students really like the style.”

Next up for Matt’s students? Probably a Foo Fighters song school project, he reports.

You can watch Matt’s video of his students performing “Even Flow” below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRW4MeU_Umg

Can’t view the video? Watch here.

Contact us to learn more about how LSA can help you meet your intercultural communication needs.