A rural Colorado medical facility has found an innovative solution to help patients who don’t speak English by developing an in-house interpreter program using bilingual employees already on staff.
Grand River Health in Rifle, Colorado, has transformed how it serves non-English speaking patients by training existing bilingual workers to become certified medical interpreters. Jen Quevedo, who now holds the position of language access coordinator at the hospital, exemplifies this approach as she provides interpretation services for patients.
The lack of qualified medical interpreters in healthcare settings poses serious risks for patients who don’t speak English fluently, potentially leading to dangerous or even deadly medical outcomes. This communication gap is particularly challenging in rural areas where specialized language services are often unavailable.
By utilizing staff members who already possess bilingual skills, the Colorado hospital has created a sustainable model that addresses the critical need for language accessibility in healthcare while working within the constraints of a rural medical facility.
