By Dr. Leisha Cali
The US is growing by 25 million people every decade. By 2030, the number of people over 65 will have doubled, and that means there will be a greater demand for health care services. This is cause for concern because we not only have a shortage of physicians, nurses, and allied health care professionals but we also have a lack of health care workers who can adequately speak more than one language. Communicating clearly and effectively to patients about their health situation and treatment options and doing so in a culturally competent way are essential skills today because language barriers have been reported to affect millions of health care consumers each year.
Hodges University is meeting the challenge of closing health care gaps through a variety of educational offerings and pathways, one of which is for residents who do not speak English as a first language. The multiplicity of languages and cultures in our region is just one of the characteristics that makes Southwest Florida such a vibrant place to live. We are addressing the unique complexities of our region’s population dynamics and growth with our intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) certificate and bridge programs. The certificate program is designed to enhance students’ abilities to communicate in English so they can pursue employment. The bridge program helps students further develop their grammar, reading, and writing skills to do college level work.
Being fluent in another language often means you can navigate and communicate more effectively within another culture. Culturally competent workers possess vital skills in today’s workplace, especially the health care fields, where the expression of concern, empathy, and hope can impact a patient’s suffering and/or recovery. Having a medical professional speak your first language does at least two important things: First, it assures you and your family that you are getting the proper care; second, it enables you to understand your health condition and options. That’s especially important when we are facing critical health decisions. Trust is key when it comes to the relationship between a healthcare provider and their patients.
Florida Board of Governors recently reported that degree completion in healthcare fields increased by 18% at the undergraduate level and 12% at the graduate level in the State University System of Florida. At Hodges, we are doing our part in providing unique learning opportunities and pathways to help meet the higher demand for competent health care professionals in Southwest Florida. Our ESL pathways program is just one of these ways.
Dr. Leisha Cali is the Director of ESL at Hodges University.
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pathways.hodges.edu