Language services at Flushing Hospital

Recognizing that it is located in one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the world, Flushing Hospital Medical Center has established several language assistance services aimed at eliminating language and cultural barriers often faced by non-English speaking or limited English proficient patients. Specifically, the hospital has created a Language Assistance Department to monitor and improve the provision of language assistance offered by the hospital.
At Flushing Hospital, limited English proficiency (LEP) patients can benefit from the following language assistance services:
Signage and forms. Signs throughout the main floor of the hospital are written in English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese - the primary languages of Flushing Hospital’s patients. Vital documents are also available in these languages.
Medical Interpreter. Flushing Hospital has over 200 qualified medical interpreters, including 46 Spanish-speaking interpreters and 46 Korean-speaking interpreters. On-site Medical Interpreters are available for approximately 30 languages. Interpreters are either tested and deemed qualified by NYU’s School of Medicine or are native speakers with medical experience in a foreign country.
Telephone Translation Service. If a qualified medical interpreter is not available, employees can utilize the hospital’s Language Line Interpreting Service. This service allows employees to access medical interpreters for over 180 languages.
Language Bank Manual. Comprised of policies and procedures, a listing of all hospital qualified medical and non-medical interpreters, tools for the hearing and visually impaired, and much more, this manual is accessible to all personnel and departments.
To ensure that the hospital is compliant with state and federal regulations, random spot checks are performed throughout the year by the Department of Language Assistance. Spot checks consist of checking signage, visiting departments to observe that employees are adhering to language assistance policies and procedures, and ensuring that manuals have the most up-to-date listing of interpreters.
“In addition to compliance, Flushing Hospital prides itself on the world of care it’s able to offer to the community,” explained Zhi Li, Flushing Hospital’s Language Assistance Coordinator. “Providing our patients with quality healthcare means being able to offer effective language assistance services so that patients understand every aspect of their care and effectively communicate with hospital staff.”
All Flushing Hospital employees are educated and trained on language assistance policies and procedures. During new employee orientation, the Language Assistance Coordinator presents information on a variety of topics, including: the impact of language barriers on patient care, requesting an interpreter, problems associated with using family members as interpreters, and cultural competency, to name a few. Mandatory in-service training is conducted annually and periodically to provide all employees with up-to-date information on language assistance policies and procedures, as well as New York State Department of Health language rules and regulations.
Flushing Hospital Medical Center serves a community of over 1.9 million residents throughout Queens. This 293-bed facility is an accredited community teaching hospital that has over 40 general and specialty clinics, including Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Ophthalmology, Podiatry, OB/GYN, Dentistry, and Mental Health. The hospital also has the only patient Geriatric Medical Unit in Queens and an extensive Community Outreach Department. In 1999, FHMC was credited with discovering an outbreak of the West Nile Virus. Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s mission is to provide superior service to patients and the community in a caring environment. For additional information, please contact Public Affairs at 718-206-6020.