Noah McCrory
If you’ve ever had to take your child to the hospital or undergo a major procedure, you know that it’s not always easy to understand what your doctor is saying.
For Spanish-speaking families, these conversations can be even more challenging.
Children’s Hospital Colorado Pediatric Surgery Clinic – Pediatric Surgery Clinic – is the first of its kind in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region.
It is a Spanish-speaking clinic created for families and patients who speak little or no English to help them navigate the challenging healthcare system.
In Colorado, more than 22% of people identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 census. In Denver, that’s nearly 30% of the population.
The clinic offers surgical expertise, consultations and medical guidance.
José Diaz-Mirón started the clinic in 2021 because he saw a need. It started as a bilingual clinic but quickly became primarily for Spanish speakers.
Over the years, it grew due to increased need.
Through this clinic, Diaz-Mirón is dedicated to ensuring that families with limited English skills are able to navigate complex medical issues and get the care they need.
“I know firsthand that it can be challenging to move from one language to another; especially when you’re dealing with children and when you’re dealing with a stressful situation,” Diaz-Mirón said.
This clinic was the ultimate goal for Diaz-Mirón, who grew up in Mexico and her first language was Spanish.
With this clinic, he is able to serve the Hispanic and Latino community and connect directly with them.
“I think it takes a layer of stress off the parents, when you can actually explain to them something that might be a little more complicated or a little more stressful in a language that’s familiar,” Diaz-Mirón said.
Parents like Oscar Perez, who has a 13-year-old son, Emiliano, who faces digestive problems.
For a long time, the family was unable to understand the problem, but after he was referred to the clinic they were able to understand what was wrong with their son’s health. Language played a big role in this.
“When we found out that the doctor spoke Spanish, it was great because we were able to express to him the problem we had with our son,” Perez said in Spanish.
In 2019, the Latino Leadership Institute at the University of Denver, in partnership with Latino Decisions and the Latino Data Project, reported some relative findings about Colorado’s Hispanic and Latino communities:
- One in three people in Colorado is predicted to be Hispanic or Latino by the year 2040;
- Of Hispanics or Latinos in Colorado, 53% speak varying levels of Spanish at home;
- Of Hispanics or Latinos in Colorado, 22.8% rate their English proficiency as “not very good.”
Failure to understand medical terms can seriously affect the quality of and access to medical care.
In 2020, Hispanic and Latino patients represented nearly 30% of total visits to the hospital’s Department of Pediatric Surgery. Of these families, 23% reported Spanish as their primary language and nearly 10% required Spanish interpreter services.
Perez was thrilled not to have to ask his son to translate for him. If so, he could be the father.
“Even though my son speaks better English, it’s not the same,” Perez said. “As a parent, you want to be able to communicate or express yourself with the doctor and share concerns.”
Perez, who turned to an interpreter, says things can get complicated and the message often gets lost in translation.
“Even with a translator or interpreter, it’s difficult because sometimes things get confusing,” Perez said. “It is better to have direct contact with the doctor.”
Oscar is happy to know that his son wouldn’t need surgery and is grateful to be able to talk to the doctor in person about it.
“We felt very comfortable with the service and it led us to the specialists we need to see so we can make sure our son gets better,” Perez said.
The clinic team meets several times a month at the hospital’s Anschutz Medical Campus and in Broomfield.
To attend the clinic, patients must be referred by their Children’s Hospital Colorado physician or family physician.
