Great Article about Pharmacies and non-English Proficiency

Blogger's note: I think this could be the beginning of something that is talked about more in hospital pharmacies, too. I have heard anecdotally in some hospitals we have worked with that it can be a significant challenge even with a good interpreter services program, so I am sure the conversation about it is only going to increase. . .

By ANNE BARNARD

Published: October 31, 2007
Pharmacies across the city routinely fail to help non-English speakers understand their prescriptions, raising the chances that customers could harm themselves by taking medicines incorrectly, immigrant advocacy groups charge in a discrimination complaint that they plan to file today with the New York attorney general’s office.

The complaint names 16 pharmacies in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, most of them operated by chains. It argues that federal civil rights law and state health regulations require pharmacies to provide linguistic help to guarantee that people who speak little or no English receive equal access to health care. That assistance should include interpreters at pharmacies and written translations of medication instructions, the advocates say.

For the full article click below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/31/nyregion/31pharmacies.html?_r=1