Title
Authorize the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 1 to the agreement (A-13375) with Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC for licensure of proprietary teaching and textbook materials for use in the training of NMC interpreters, extending the agreement an additional one (1) year period (December 15, 2021 through December 14, 2022) for a revised full agreement term of December 15, 2016 through December 14, 2022, and adding $6,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $36,000.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors:
Authorize the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 1 to the agreement (A-13375) with Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC for licensure of proprietary teaching and textbook materials for use in the training of NMC interpreters, extending the agreement an additional one (1) year period (December 15, 2021 through December 14, 2022) for a revised full agreement term of December 15, 2016 through December 14, 2022, and adding $6,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $36,000.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
This agreement will allow NMC to purchase and use the vendor’s proprietary teaching and training materials in the training of NMC’s bilingual staff to become Qualified Interpreters (QI’s) and allow Interpreter Services department to train some of its staff to become licensed trainers. With the implementation of the new language access rule of the ACA Section 1557 July 2016, our medical staff must be “qualified” as interpreters to assist providers with interpretation and not simply bilingual.
Presently, NMC has approximately 70 trained dual staff qualified interpreters (QI’s) that perform interpretations as dual staff employees in their own departments. This compliment and maximizes resources of the Interpreter Services department at NMC, whose resources are limited. It also allows staff and patients to communicate more freely since the QI’s are generally already in the units. Many of the bilingual staff is already called on to perform interpretations and by training them, NMC is fully compliant with Federal and State laws as well as the Joint Commission recommendations.
The training consists of a 40-hour course that is recognized by the interpreting profession and is used nationally to train healthcare interpreters. It covers topics such as Ethics and Standards as well as Cultural Competencies and Medical Vocabulary and incorporates adult learning strategies to better prepare candidates. It goes without saying that this training will benefit first and foremost NMC’s Limited English Patient (LEP) who will have the benefit of receiving services from staff that have been educated and well trained to communicate with them.
There is no cost for the License Agreement and the only costs incurred are for the purchase of the required textbooks, mandatory for each staff member attending the trainings, and when we request an additional member of our team receive training to become a trainer.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of County Counsel has reviewed and approved this amendment No. 1 as to form, and the Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved as to payment provisions. The amendment No. 1 has also been reviewed and approved by NMC’s Finance Committee and by its Board of Trustees on November 12, 2021.
FINANCING:
The cost for this amendment No. 1 is $6,000 which is included in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This initiative allows for Natividad’s workforce development so that validated bilingual speakers may acquire new skillset to better serve our patient demographic. Once staff compete this training they are deemed qualified by industry standards to interpret in a healthcare setting and we are fully compliant with Federal and State mandates when they assist staff to communicate with our patients. This maximizes the availability of interpreters throughout the Hospital and improves health outcomes and access to services.
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Prepared by: Victor Sosa, Interpreter Services Manager, 796-1612
Approved by: Charles R. Harris, Interim Chief Executive Officer, 783-2504
Attachments:
Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC Amendment 1
Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC Agreement
Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board