Communication Barriers. The MCO is required to provide oral interpretive services for languages on an as-needed basis. These requirements extend to both in-person and telephone communications to ensure that enrollees are able to communicate with the MCO and providers and receive coverage benefits. Oral interpretative services must be provided free of charge to enrollees and potential enrollees and must be available for all non-English languages. The MCO must also provide audiotapes for the illiterate upon request. BMS will periodically review the degree to which there are any prevalent language or languages spoken by Medicaid beneficiaries in West Virginia (cultural groups that represent at least 5 percent of the Medicaid population). Within 90 days of notification from BMS, the MCO will make written materials available in prevalent non-English languages in its service areas. At the current time, there is no data to indicate that West Virginia has any Medicaid populations that meet this definition. The MCO must notify enrollees and potential enrollees of the availability of oral interpretation services for any language and written materials in prevalent non-English languages. The MCO must also notify enrollees and potential enrollees of how to access such services.
Communication Barriers. DHH people may encounter communication barriers during medical consultations. This is particularly the case when DHH people do not have enough residual hearing to fully hear and understand spoken language. Many DHH people rely on a combination of hearing and lipreading for understanding spoken language. Even a highly skilled lip-reader is able to ‘read’ only 20-40% of what is said.3 This suffices to follow a fairly predictable conversation in normal everyday circumstances. However, during a medical consultation, when many unknown terms are used and the patient may be stressed, this method often proves to be inadequate.4,5 Even if the healthcare worker writes down the necessary information during a consultation, this may not be very helpful. If the patient is severely DHH from a young age, he or she may have difficulties reading uncommon or unfamiliar words. Even when the DHH person is able to understand written language fluently, writing down information is much more time consuming than talking, which results in healthcare workers writing down only a small portion of the information normally given. The use of speech-to-text interpreters and/or sign language interpreters in medical settings may help overcome these barriers. These possibilities are not always known or used. The amount of information transferred from the physician to the patient and vice versa is therefore restricted.6 Next to misunderstandings and reduced information, communication barriers may also pose logistical problems, for instance, making an appointment or asking for a repeat prescription; instead of being able to contact the physician’s office by telephone it may be necessary to go there in person.
Communication Barriers. Studies have shown that disruption in patient-provider relationships for Black-Americans, specifically, has important implications. This includes elements, such as medical mistrust, perceived discrimination, poor communication, and race discordance (Adebayo et al., 2019; Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxx, L.A., 2013). These factors can negatively affect quality of care, patient satisfaction, non-adherence to treatment plans, and health outcomes.
Communication Barriers. We may use and disclose your PHI if we attempt to obtain an authorization from you but are unable to do so due to substantial communication barriers that we cannot overcome and we determine, using professional judgment, that you intend to provide authorization to share information.
