Health in every language: connecting communities to care

At Intermountain Health, we help people live their healthiest lives beyond the reach of our physical walls. While a lot of work happens with patients at care sites, we also serve our members and communities as part of our Fundamentals.

A good example is in Spanish-speaking communities. We work with Telemundo and Univision, nationally known Spanish television stations, to talk about important health topics relevant to the community.

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More than a language barrier?

Maria Borrero, MD, moved to the United States from Colombia as a teenager. When she was 14, she cared for her grandmother through breast and brain cancer, which inspired her to pursue a path in oncology.

“Before medical school, I studied health disparities and quality of life of Hispanic cancer patients,” said Dr. Borrero. “There's a language barrier that makes it hard for people to ask questions. There’s also a cultural barrier, and I can bridge that gap.”

After supporting her grandma and formally learning about healthcare access, she made it her mission to help the Spanish-speaking community get care.

“I couldn’t unsee the need,” said Dr. Borrero. “I can help stop the spread of misinformation, especially about women’s health and cancer. More than that, I can let people know that Intermountain has resources to help anyone who needs help.”

It’s not unusual for Dr. Borrero to see patients who come in with stage 4 cancer. By then, patients can't ignore symptoms or pain. This is why Dr. Borrero continues to proactively share health information through news segments to the Spanish-speaking community.

“We’ve had patients come in because they’ve seen the segments,” she said. “It’s important to lower the barriers so people know they can get care, no matter their ability to pay. Our patients don’t have to live in the shadows. They can know I’ve been in their shoes and understand.”

Connecting with Spanish media

Dr. Borrero is a key part of our efforts to share health information with the community.

An ongoing relationship with Telemundo in Utah has positioned Intermountain as a trusted resource for the Hispanic and Latin community. We translate our news releases and health information into Spanish using Translation Services and cover topics relevant to Spanish speakers. Previous topics have included diabetes, vaccines and immunizations, nutrition, mental health, and how Language Services are available for interpretation in all our care sites and service lines.

Working with the Spanish-language media builds important connections between Spanish and English-speaking communities. This collaboration helps us work with other organizations, like the Mexican consulate, to keep people healthy.

Dr. Borrero’s segments focus on her specialties of women’s health, sexual health, and cancer. She gets ideas for segments from questions her patients ask at the clinic.

“I always love talking about breast cancer because there’s so much involved,” she said. “Women deal with many body issues, sexual side effects, and incorrect information on social media. I love being able to talk to other women in their own language.”

Serving the most vulnerable has been a foundation of our health system from the very beginning. Read about our beginnings serving miners in the “Wild West” and bringing care to children who couldn’t get proper medical care in our recent article, Great moments in Intermountain history.