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Language Barrier Causes Rx Errors
Supermarket News - April 11, 2003
Nearly 1 in 10 pharmacy customers who speak English as a second language (ESL) give their children prescription medications incorrectly because they do not fully understand the proper pharmaceutical regimen, according to a recent survey conducted by TransPerfect Translations. Twenty-eight percent of respondents guessed at proper dosages due to a language barrier, and 17% performed an activity they shouldn't have while on their medication, according to the study. The translation company surveyed 592 people in some of the fastest-growing ESL communities in the United States, including native Spanish, Chinese, Hindi and Russian speakers. Curtis Hartin, director of professional services, Schnuck Markets, St. Louis, said that Schnuck pharmacies are ready to handle the increasingly diverse patient base. "As the Spanish population continues to grow, I see [the language barrier] coming, and when it happens, we'll offer remedial Spanish courses to better communicate with patients." Communication aids are not limited to pharmacists, he noted. "If we can get anyone in our stores to interpret, then we're that much farther ahead."
—Stephanie Loughran
About TransPerfect
TransPerfect is a diversified family of companies providing a full array of international communication services in 22 offices worldwide, including document management, translation, and staffing solutions. TransPerfect is ISO 9001:2000 certified which means it has implemented the most rigorous quality assurance process, according to criteria set forth by the International Organization for Standardization. The wide range of services it provides includes imaging, reprographic services, electronic data discovery, multilingual OCR, electronic labeling, coding, on-site imaging and copying, as well as staffing, and a full suite of translation and interpretation solutions. Headquarters are in New York City. |
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