Rite Aid offers telephone interpreters to non-English speaking patients
NEW YORK Rite Aid customers with limited-English speaking skills now can utilize telephone interpreters to consult with pharmacists in more than 175 languages, Language Line Services announced Tuesday.
The addition of interpretation services enhances the systems Rite Aid already has in place for customers to receive prescription information printed in their choice of 11 different languages. The combined document translation and on-demand phone interpretation language access service, which will be the first of its kind to be integrated nationally, is now available in Rite Aid pharmacies throughout New York state and will be available in all of its pharmacies by the end of May.
“We are very pleased to offer this new option to our pharmacy customers in New York and look forward to making it available in all of our pharmacies,” stated Robert Thompson, Rite Aid’s SVP pharmacy operations. “We have a very diverse customer base and this service will certainly help our limited-English speaking customers clearly understand the information they receive from our pharmacies. This service assists us in our health and wellness mission helping our patients live healthier, happier lives.”
Louis Provenzano, Language Line Services' president and COO, noted that 174 different languages are spoken in the New York metro area; nationwide, more than 24 million individuals age 5 and older require language support.
“As the nation’s population of limited-English speakers grows, providing interpretation services is the best way to ensure that these patients understand their benefits and, more importantly, are taking medications safely and accurately,” Provenzano said.
Rite Aid has been working with Language Line Services since December 2008 to provide limited-English speaking pharmacy customers on demand and immediate access to live interpreters who speak more than 175 languages. This over-the-phone interpretation service is free to customers and staffed with medically trained interpreters.
“This program is designed to provide pharmacy customers access to interpreters who can assist in explaining instructions, side effects and precautions for medications in their preferred language and also may assist in reducing potential medication usage errors,” Thompson said.