Pharmacists are a vital part of patient health management. The role of the pharmacist has adapted and changed based on the needs of the communities they serve. A 2015 U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are at least 350 Languages used in U.S. homes1, requiring pharmacists to be able to overcome language barriers to deliver patient-centered care. The current landscape suggests that pharmacists lack the knowledge of available resources and lack of confidence to incorporate these resources into their daily practice. By completing this continuing education training program, pharmacists should be able to provide better care to limited-English proficient (LEP) patients by incorporating best practices that are explained in depth. This can help improve quality of care, reduce the chance of medication errors, and contribute to improving health literacy. This training lends itself to the overall discussion of cultural competency and health literacy among LEP patients.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, the participant should be able to:
-Identify how effective interpreter use in practice can impact patient care.
-Explain legal requirements for language and interpreter services and apply them to the clinical setting.
-Establish ‘best practices’ for communicating with patients via a language interpreter including setting ground rules, cultural awareness, and communication tips.
-Recognize the role of pharmacists in delivering culturally competent, linguistically appropriate patient care when utilizing interpreter services to communicate with ELP patients.
