Healthy Diverse Populations - Services

 

 

Diversity and Alberta Health Services

Diversity Programs and Services

Royal Alexandra Hospital

Multicultural Services at the Royal Alexandra Hospital: Nurturing Diversity in Patient Care

Multicultural Services are available at the Royal Alexandra Hospital assist patients in accessing services they need within the context of their language and culture. They also support staff in providing quality care to patients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Services
Resources
Contacts

Services

    Interpretation and Translation Services

We provide interpreters in a variety of languages as well as and written translations to help bridge language barriers between patient and service providers. Our interpretation services include:

  1. An Asian interpreter on permanent staff at the RAH
  2. Trained interpreters in 30 languages  from Centralized Interpreter Services
  3. Sign Language Interpreters (certified) from DHHS (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Society)
  4. Bilingual RAH staff who have agreed to interpret in urgent situations
  5. Telephone interpretation services for urgent needs are available 24/7 through Pacific Interpreters of Portland Oregon

    Staff education on cultural responsiveness

We help broaden understanding of cultural practices and finding ways these can strengthen the healing process by creating formal learning opportunities for staff. Our staff education activities include the following:

  1. Cultural competency workshops for health care staff and managers
  2. Intercultural Health Communication Series
  3. Culture and Ethics Series
  4. Culture-specific dialogues with cultural resource persons

    Linking hospital and community

We foster relationship between the hospital and cultural groups to enhance patients’ health in the community. Our activities include:

  1. facilitate referrals from staff for cultural support and resources in the community for patients
  2. orientation on the Canadian health care system for new Canadians
  3. hospital tours for new Canadians

    Research and education

We promote dialogue and learning about how culture and health are related, and how cultural practices foster health.  We have conducted research that increased staff understanding of the experience of immigrants in the hospital and tools to support staff to become culturally sensitive and responsive.

Resources

Culturally Appropriate Information for Heart Patients – culturally adapted health information on diet and exercise for cardiac patients in five languages including a DVD, “Living Well with Heart Disease”.

A Guide for Parents – multilingual informational pamphlet for parents who are caring for babies in the intensive care unit

Herbal-Drug Interactions Handbook – references the most commonly used 100 herbal medicines and their interactions with pharmaceutical drugs. It is available on all patient care units and for sale in the gift shop.

Cultural Profiles on the Royal Alexandra Hospital Intranet – features information of 11 cultural and linguistic groups that may help you understand your patient and his or her family.

Contacts

Royal Alexandra Hospital Multicultural Services Coordinator:
Lucenia Ortiz, PhD
Phone: 780-735-4134
Email: lucenia.ortiz@cha.ab.ca
 

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