The July edition of the “Cultural Responsiveness” blog by Latinos en Optometry and sponsored by VSP Vision highlights an article written by Amelia K. Barwise, MB, Bch, PhD, associate professor of medicine and biomedical ethics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

In her article, Dr. Barwise highlights that language barriers pose considerable challenges for patients when interacting with the health care system. Additionally, many medical offices resort to ad hoc interpretation, enlisting a staff member to assist when a patient’s proficiency in English appears to be limited. That may be acceptable if the ad hoc interpreter is proficient in both languages, but in many instances, ad hoc interpretation falls short of ideal standards. In her article, she provides guidance on how optometrists can enhance care for patients in their community who may face language barriers.

Dr. Barwise’s blog is available on the Latinos en Optometry website at latinosenoptometry.org/news/cultural-responsiveness.