Strategies to Increase the Spanish-Speaking Workforce in Orthopaedic Surgery within the United States.
Patricia RodarteJorge A GaravitoGiancarlo Medina PérezMichael FariasVictor Hugo HernandezPublished in: The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume (2023)
Language-concordant care improves patient satisfaction. Given the increase in Spanish-speaking persons requiring orthopaedic care in the United States, it is essential to increase the Spanish-speaking workforce in orthopaedic surgery. We have proposed strategies to improve the proportion of Spanish-speaking orthopaedic surgeons in the U.S. through early exposure to orthopaedic surgery, by creating collaborative advancement and mentorship opportunities, by endorsing Spanish-language immersion opportunities, and by increasing workforce diversity awareness. Furthermore, we have suggested a strategy to better equip non-Spanish-speaking orthopaedic surgeons while caring for Spanish-speaking patients. Together, the suggested strategies offer a variety of approaches that can have a direct, tangible impact on optimizing orthopaedic care while enhancing patient-physician communication in the Spanish language.
Keyphrases
- quality improvement
- minimally invasive
- healthcare
- public health
- palliative care
- coronary artery bypass
- autism spectrum disorder
- end stage renal disease
- emergency department
- patient satisfaction
- primary care
- chronic kidney disease
- acute coronary syndrome
- surgical site infection
- chronic pain
- atrial fibrillation
- peritoneal dialysis