A recent abstract of an article caught my eye. Indeed— we may have “failure to communicate” here. Thinking back to the “Cool Hand Luke” movie.
I told my daughters growing up “Listen, to succeed in Texas in the 21st century you are going to HAVE to know three languages…. English, computer, and Spanish. Indeed I believe the demographers are now saying the Anglo Saxon “white” population in Texas is now less than 50%! Indeed in my South Dallas surgical practice I figured that 25% or so of my patients appreciated that I spoke to them in Spanish…. well, actually “Tex-Mex” - When I have spoke that in Argentina, Puerto Rico, Chile, etc where true Spanish is spoken people look at me very funny - but they understand what I said. For example after giving the pre-op greeting and answering questions to patients in the “holding area” ready to go back for surgery into the OR.. I always visit with them. If so inclined by the patient I will pray with them… but when it is time to say “Let’s go” I usually say to my staff… “Da le gas Ala “Truka……..” Which in Tex-mex means give gas to the truck. Or - Lets go! Instead of Castilian which would be “Da le “benzina” al Camionetta” So many times the patient and family will understand and chuckle…and know I learned my Spanish working in the grapefruit orchards of South Texas….
As American Medical organizations and Schools lean hard left “WOKE” I chuckle because it is all about the “appearance” of the skin… Administrators talk about rewarding “life experiences” instead of accomplishment and grades. Then they go back to their fancy offices where the maids and housekeeping staff are cleaning up - speaking Spanish.. The CEO has a 2 yr degree in management but likely cannot understand a word those folks are speaking. Point is, some of my “Hispanic” high school friends are way smarter than me and the second language, Spanish is a superb addition to their education and work history when we visit.. we still have high school reunions now in our mid 70s! Let me think.. tremendously successful trial lawyer (with his own private jet), pediatric anesthesiologist, Notre Dame graduate who drove US Army tanks before going to medical school, aerospace engineer who did the re-entry “burn profiles” for the Apollo program, tremendously successful Austin based commercial real-estate magnate—- the list goes on.. But just try to put a “race” or even “sex” label on those individual accomplishments..They were all in our 1964 Edinburg, Texas Bobcat graduating class. I am thinking Dr Robert Malone.. or Victor Davis Hanson who both grew up on the Mexican California Border could identify as well.
Point is -the article I am passing along talks about the “staff” not the doctors and nurses.. And that is what I saw in my cardiac surgery South Dallas practice.. Probably 15% of the physicians spoke Spanish but I bet 70% of the “helpers” were Spanish speakers at home. Just an observation on my part….
Here is the link below- note they use “Medical Professionals” in the title.. To me that means Doctors and Nurses…. but taking vitals and performing administrative paperwork duties.. those are not professionals but “hired help.”
Pandemic, Staff Shortages Exacerbate Need For Spanish-Speaking Medical Professionals In Texas
The Houston Chronicle (2/2, Gill Jhair Romero) reports, “Language barriers long have been an important factor in the persistent inequities in health care,” and “the COVID-19 pandemic, and a worsening physician and nursing shortage, has highlighted the urgent need for medical professionals who can communicate with the roughly 7 million Texans who prefer or speak only Spanish.” Meanwhile in Houston, many “primary care clinics that treat a high percentage of Hispanic patients try to employ a robust bilingual support staff, to help take vitals or perform administrative duties.”