Press releases

Yale-New Haven Hospital news release
Release date: June 20, 2005
Media contact: Mark D'Antonio, (203) 688-2493

New Spanish language content on Yale-New Haven Hospital site serves growing community

Yale-New Haven Hospital is reaching out to the region’s growing Latino population with an array of services in Spanish, including a comprehensive new health information area for Spanish-speaking visitors on the hospital’s Web site.

Go to www.ynhh.org , and click on "En español" in the left-hand column for:

• Hospital information in Spanish, including visiting hours and policies, phone numbers, insurance and billing, advice about tests and surgery, and free and low-cost services for those who cannot afford to pay for their medical care.
• Contact information for Spanish-speaking staff who provide hospital service information and physician referrals, both 24 hours a day.
• Contact information for Interpreter Services , a team of professional interpreters ready to assist patients 24 hours a day over the phone or in person when communicating with hospital staff.
• Enciclopedia de la salud, a Spanish health encyclopedia allowing visitors access to more than 4,000 articles and illustrations dealing with a variety of medical topics.
• MiDieta , providing daily customized menus, personalized exercise programs, access to dietary experts, health tips, articles and healthy recipes for popular Hispanic foods.
• Spanish translations of Yale-New Haven Hospital brochures and patient education publications such as "Making the Right Choice," a series of fact sheets to help people make informed decisions regarding health care.
• Links to the Spanish Web sites of health organizations such as the American Cancer Institute, the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.

"Yale-New Haven Hospital is offering these services to the Latino community to respond to a significant need," said Jeannette Hodge, director of patient relations, volunteer and interpreter services for the hospital. "The Latino population is growing rapidly, and we want to make health care as accessible as possible for them. If you’re sick or injured and English is not your first language, it may have consequences for your health and treatment."

In 2004, Yale-New Haven Hospital cared for more than 13,400 patients who did not speak English or who were hearing impaired. The first language of 82 percent of non English-speaking patients at Yale-New Haven Hospital is Spanish.

Yale-New Haven Hospital's online information is part of a multifaceted effort to bridge the gap for these patients. The hospital also provides professional interpreter services over the phone and in person 24 hours a day, and has a special phone line for Spanish speakers that members of the community can call for help in communicating with the hospital.

Earlier this year, Yale-New Haven Hospital instituted a major communication program called the Language Assistance Project to improve health care experiences and outcomes for patients with limited English ability. The project provides a “toolbox” of helpful items for each unit and outpatient area in the hospital. The toolbox includes a book with simple hospital phrases in 19 languages, a pain scale patients can use to assess their pain levels, information on accessing a hospital interpreter, a language ID card and a whiteboard that patients who are unable to talk can use to communicate with their caregivers.

Reporters: For more information on this release, contact Mark D'Antonio, (203) 688-2493.

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Last revised: May 15, 2007 (dh)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.