Coler-Goldwater celebrates the most recent graduation of bilingual employees who are trained and certified to provide medical interpretation services for patients with limited English proficiency.

HHC's Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility Wins National Cultural Diversity Award

New York City - The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) today announced that Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility has been selected to receive the Hobart Jackson Cultural Diversity Award from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

Patients recover language skills more readily when therapy is specifically geared toward their language.

Coler-Goldwater, part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, is located on Roosevelt Island, N.Y. and has had a long-standing commitment to cultural diversity and inclusion. Like all HHC facilities, Coler-Goldwater serves a highly diverse patient and resident population. Forty-three percent of the patients are African American, twenty eight percent are Caucasian, twenty one percent are Hispanic, four percent are Asian, and four percent are Indian. Fifteen different languages are spoken, and fifteen percent of the resident population speaks limited English. The workforce is similarly diverse, from frontline to senior leadership: 50 percent of employees are African American, 24 percent are Asian, nearly 15 percent are Hispanic, and 11 percent are Caucasian.

A Coler-Goldwater employee provides medical interpretation services for a Mandarin-speaking patient.

“The diversity of Coler-Goldwater's patients and work force mirrors the City's population,” said Claude Ritman, Executive Director. “With one of the largest nursing facilities in the greatest city in the world, we have to be prepared to communicate with all who enter our doors, and let them know that they are part of the Coler-Goldwater family.”

To help serve its diverse resident population, Coler-Goldwater has implemented a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) program for its employees, as well as provided translated materials to the residents. The program includes: medical interpreter certification training; Spanish classes for health-care workers; guest lecturers on cultural beliefs and care; a phone interpreting system that accommodates up to 150 languages; and medical glossaries for staff in eight languages. Annual diversity training, cross-cultural communication skills workshops for staff and a library of materials on diversity topics are provided. Coler-Goldwater has demonstrated significant achievement. The residents and local community are invited to participate in a number of these programs as well. These programs embody the AAHSA Quality First principles of excellence and public trust by advancing the interests of a diverse population.

Claude Ritman will be accepting the award at the AAHSA's Annual Meeting & Exposition, in November.

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is the largest municipal healthcare system in the country. HHC operates a network of 11 hospitals, six diagnostic and treatment centers, four long-term care facilities, more than 80 community clinics and a home health care agency. HHC provides care to all regardless of ability to pay. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers annually, including more than 450,000 who have no health insurance. For more information about HHC, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.