Care Culture Talks

Dr. Ortega explores challenges and solutions for healthcare language barriers, including AI's role in supporting human interpreters.

In this episode of "Care Culture Talks," host Eyal Heldenberg speaks with Dr. Sam Frenkel about the unique challenges of providing emergency care across language barriers. Dr. Frenkel, who has worked in emergency departments from coast to coast, reveals how the high-pressure, time-sensitive nature of emergency medicine magnifies the impact of communication barriers. The conversation explores the practical realities emergency physicians face: from competing for scarce interpreter resources to recognizing crucial cultural decision-making dynamics that aren't taught in medical school. Dr. Frenkel shares personal stories of cultural missteps and hard-won insights, including his "teach-back" technique to ensure patient understanding across language divides. This episode provides essential insights for healthcare providers, administrators, and anyone interested in improving emergency care for diverse populations in fast-paced settings where minutes—and clear communication—can make all the difference.

In this insightful conversation, host Eyal Heldenberg speaks with Louis D. Simmons about the critical importance of language accessibility in healthcare settings, particularly in Community Health Centers. With over 15 years of healthcare leadership experience, Simmons shares valuable perspectives on how community health centers serve diverse populations and the unique challenges these centers face. The episode explores how Community Health Centers operate as essential safety net providers, delivering care to medically underserved communities through integrated service models. Simmons delves into the impact of language barriers on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes, emphasizing the importance of certified medical translators versus relying on family members for translation services. The conversation covers the evolution of interpretation technology in healthcare—from in-person translators to video and telephonic solutions—and how these advancements have improved accessibility, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Simmons provides actionable advice for healthcare leaders looking to address language barriers in their organizations, including evaluating patient demographics, developing staff capabilities, and creating advocacy positions for culturally competent care. Louis D. Simmons, a healthcare leader with extensive experience in both acute care and physician group settings, discusses how language barriers impact patient care in community health centers and shares strategies for providing culturally competent care to diverse patient populations. This episode offers valuable insights for healthcare professionals seeking to better serve diverse communities and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare regardless of language or cultural background.

In this episode of "Care Culture Talks," host Eyal Heldenberg (CEO of No Barrier) talks with Dr. Ilan Shapiro about helping Spanish-speaking patients get better healthcare. Having grown up in Mexico City, Dr. Shapiro shares real-world tips on talking with Latino patients and others who struggle with English.

Dr. Adam Weiser, a urologist from Columbus, shares how to care for patients from different cultures when discussing sensitive health topics.

In this episode, Ecuadorian Spanish medical interpreter Matias Saenz shares his journey from training to becoming a certified nationwide interpreter. He discusses the daily life of a medical interpreter, from guiding patients through hospital facilities to navigating cultural misunderstandings between patients and providers. Through powerful stories—including potentially dangerous translation errors, delivering difficult news, and creating meaningful connections with patients—Matias reveals how medical interpreters serve as cultural bridges in healthcare settings while highlighting both the emotional challenges and rewarding aspects of this essential role.

In this enlightening episode of Care Culture Talks, host Eyal Heldenberg sits down with Diana Erani, Chief Operating Officer at the National Association of Community Health Centers. Diana shares her impressive journey from working with Healthcare for the Homeless in Houston to her current national role overseeing 1,500 community health centers serving 32.5 million Americans. She explains the unique model of community health centers—where 51% of board members are patients—and how these centers achieve better clinical outcomes at lower costs by prioritizing cultural competence. Diana offers valuable insights on language access challenges in healthcare settings, the importance of certified medical interpreters, and shares her vision for the future where community health centers might serve one in three Americans instead of the current one in ten. This conversation illuminates how community-driven healthcare can bridge cultural and linguistic gaps to provide truly accessible care for diverse populations.

Dr. Deborah Gilboa shares her 25 years of experience navigating cross-cultural healthcare communication at a federally qualified health center serving patients from over 100 countries. From sign language interpretation to understanding cultural beliefs around treatment, Dr. Gilboa provides practical insights on building trust across language and cultural barriers in medical settings.

Dr. Jeffrey Chen shares his unique perspective as an emergency medicine physician at Mills Peninsula Hospital near San Francisco International Airport, where he regularly treats patients speaking dozens of languages. From his early days as a medical student managing interpreter phones to becoming trilingual himself, Dr. Chen discusses the challenges and opportunities in providing culturally competent emergency care. He offers insights into various interpretation methods - from family members to professional services - while highlighting the evolving role of AI in medical interpretation.