Southwest Florida is diversifying, and that’s especially important in medical settings.

Patients want to feel comfortable with their health care providers, and sometimes that means speaking in a language other than English. Communication is incredibly important in diagnosing and treating illness, especially when it comes to personal, intimate conversations around topics like cancer, mental health and other serious illnesses.

Throughout the region, many medical offices employ multilingual staff members – receptionists, technicians, medical assistants, records clerks, billing specialists, patient care coordinators and others. They are tremendous assets to a practice, but those individuals typically are not in the exam room with patients. It’s incredibly important to have multilingual doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurses who speak more than one language.

The reasons for having a multilingual medical staff are plentiful:

n Comfort: Patients will feel a deeper connection and comfort level confiding with providers.

n Clear communication: Patients can be more open about discussing their concerns and symptoms without struggling to find the right words in a second language.

n Improved outcomes: With a full grasp of a patient’s medical history, providers can better diagnose the issue and identify medications, therapy and other treatment options.

n Decreased stress: Patients often experience anxiety or apprehension when seeking medical treatment, and being able to effectively communicate with a provider creates a more relaxing conversation in the exam room.

Beyond language, physicians who were born, raised or worked in foreign countries may have experienced similar cultural and economic conditions, further strengthening the patient-doctor relationship. Much like being able to relate to a teacher, coach or mentor who have similar life experiences, having a physician that lived or worked in the same region is the first step toward building a bond.

Advocate Radiation Oncology, for instance, employs board-certified physicians who are fluent in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. How important are language skills in the medical profession? Nearly all health insurance companies and online medical databases like Healthgrades or Healthline list “languages spoken” in their physician profiles, prominently displaying that information alongside location, years of experience, education, board certifications, ratings, telephone numbers and other pertinent details.

Health care providers do not want patients to experience barriers getting the care they need and deserve. Oftentimes, finances pose the biggest challenge because the potential cost of treatments, especially for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, can be overwhelming. The fear of a potentially life-changing diagnosis also keeps some people from visiting the doctor. Apprehension related to language, though, should not impact health care.

A report from the National Institute of Health notes “research has demonstrated that language concordance improves health outcomes.”

The greatest need for multilingual physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, is Spanish-speaking physicians given that there are more than 40 million Spanish speakers in the U.S. With September being Hispanic Heritage Month, it’s a great opportunity for medical schools to continue promoting opportunities for Spanish-speaking candidates and medical practices to assemble teams of health care professionals that are representative of the communities they serve.

Dr. Graciela Garton, FACRO, is a board-certified radiation oncologist with Advocate Radiation Oncology and is fluent in English, Spanish and French. Visit AdvocateRO.com for more information.