For many non-English speakers, getting access to health care comes with barriers, but Lawton Community Health Center’s Southcare Clinic is helping their patients overcome those.
The clinic sees a lot of patients from young to old, providing a wide array of services, like primary care, sick visits, and more.
One service that makes them stand out is their ability to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking patients.
Family Medicine Doctor Banesa Vazquez and Nurse Practitioner Alicia Ortiz help their patients get a better understanding of their health by speaking their language.
“When we get a patient in here that speaks Spanish and they know you speak Spanish, you open this whole new world with them. You know, they’re more likely to tell you what’s really going on with them, versus having a translator there and kind of doing that, you know, that route,” Ortiz said.
Taking down that language barrier is just the first part. Thanks to that, Ortiz and Dr. Vazquez can give their patients critical information that can help them lead healthier lives.
“To explain side effects, well, a lot of patients will stop medications because they don’t really know what a side effects to expect,” Dr. Vazquez said, “And, sometimes when you just tell them up the front what you will expect and it will get better, they continue with the medication. So, having that kind of initial information is really important for them.”
Ortiz added, “So one of the biggest ones is that they don’t fully understand the extent of their condition, you know, and so when you don’t understand. Then you’re not likely to be compliant. With medications, you know, so I may see a patient that’s been diabetic or that’s had high blood pressure, but they haven’t taken their medication because they didn’t fully understand how important it was to take that medicine.”
They can also build a firm connection to their patients.
“I met some patients who we just happened to come from the same hometown in Mexico, and that was just really meaningful for both of them. There was a lot of trust that was built immediately off the start. And you know, they felt more comfortable coming in and actually, you know, taking their medications and when they had questions about their medications, they actually came and asked me,” Dr. Vazquez said.
This access to care can only evolve. Dr. Vazquez and Ortiz hope to see more bilingual care providers to improve the experience for non-English speaking patients at the clinic.
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