The Division of General Internal Medicine aims to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) are among the fastest growing and one of the most vulnerable populations. Language barriers can lead to poor quality of care, worse clinical outcomes, higher medical error rates, and decreased satisfaction with healthcare.
We aim to provide our patients with an option to see physicians who speak their language. Evidence suggests that language concordance between patients and physicians enhances healthcare quality and improves health outcomes and patient satisfaction with care, communication, and medical understanding. We are proud that our physicians in the Division are from diverse backgrounds and mirror the diverse community we serve. The program is led and was developed by Taru Saigal and has 15 physicians who can provide clinical care in a language other than English: Muna Aldiab (Arabic), Dhuha Alwan (Arabic), Ines Aranguren (Spanish), Jamila Asif (Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi), M. Bashar Atai (Arabic), Seuli Brill (Bengali), Guibin Li (Mandarin), Sara Li (Mandarin and Japanese),Shengyi Mao (Mandarin), Nishi Naik (Gujarati), Tran Nguyen (Vietnamese), Vandana Ohri (Hindi, Kannada, Urdu, and Panjabi) Kruti Patel (Gujarati and Hindi), Taru Saigal (Nepali, Hindi, Urdu) and Simranpreet Singh (Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu). Existing and new patients with LEP, and patients who are proficient in English but prefer primary care in their language will have access to physicians who speak their language whenever possible. When a physician speaking the preferred language is not available, all of our clinicians will use appropriate interpreter services.
For more information, please see "Bridging the language barriers of foreign-born patients" published in Ohio State Health & Discovery.