Press Releases: National
September 13, 2006
Kaiser Permanente Wins NCQA Multicultural Award
Shortage of Interpreters Addressed by Linguistic Programs
OAKLAND, Calif. – Kaiser Permanente has been awarded the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) “Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award” for two acclaimed programs, the Qualified Bilingual Staff Model (QBS), and the Health Care Interpreter Certificate Program (HCICP). Both programs address the dearth of qualified, professional health care interpreters providing linguistically and culturally appropriate health care assistance in the United States. The programs will be spotlighted at two upcoming national conferences on Multicultural Healthcare: Sept. 14, 2006, in Redondo Beach, Calif., and Oct. 18, 2006, in Washington D.C.
“There are no other programs like this in the country. The key is the creation of professional and quality standards, infrastructure and educational partnerships,” stated Gayle Tang, director, national linguistic and cultural programs, National Diversity. “We have set quality standards for the industry, created new professional opportunities for our bilingual staff, and we have elevated the stature of professional interpreters. The result is renewed job satisfaction for our employees, and our limited-English speaking members are assured that they will be understood.”
Both programs address the serious shortage of qualified health care interpreters in the United States today, and aim to improve health outcomes and eliminate disparities in health care. The Qualified Bilingual Staff Model takes a pragmatic approach to the problem by using its existing bilingual workforce. Existing bilingual staff is identified, their language capabilities are systematically enhanced, and patient interactions are monitored to ensure patient safety. Targeted languages are Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, and American Sign Language, a reflection of the wide diversity found within Kaiser Permanente’s staff and member populations. The national QBS program has, thus far, been successfully implemented in Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California, Georgia, and Mid Atlantic regions with over 3,000 employees trained.
Kaiser Permanente’s acclaimed Health Care Interpreter Certificate Program (HCICP) in partnership with City College of San Francisco, addresses the deficit of formally trained health care interpreters, related training programs, and national certification standards. Kaiser Permanente designed a model HCI curriculum in 1996 which has now been disseminated across the country. It has also established multiple internship programs and certified faculties. This innovative and cost effective model has shown that partnerships between health care organizations and accredited academic institutions are not only sustainable, but mutually beneficial. The collaborative efforts help promote a renewable balance of supply and demand. Kaiser Permanente continues to develop the core content materials and supports new and existing HCICP partnerships across the country. So far, over 100 faculties have received the training nationwide. Over 1,000 graduates can provide interpreter services in more than 10 different languages.
“Kaiser Permanente has created a model for plans nationwide to follow on how to bridge language and cultural gaps that so easily get in the way of quality health care,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “The two programs are innovative solutions that tackle the very real issue of health care disparities among racial and ethnic minorities.”
The award is an outgrowth of projects conducted by NCQA – with support from The California Endowment and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services– to investigate the feasibility for health plans to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate care and to monitor health care disparities using stratified HEDIS© quality data. NCQA, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations, recognizes physicians and physician groups in key clinical areas and manages the evolution of HEDIS©, the tool the nation’s health plans use to measure and report on their performance. For more information, visit ncqa.org.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.
