In 2004, more than 40.4 million Hispanics 14 percent of the total U.S. population were living in the United States. This makes Hispanics the largest and
by Paula Patch

In 2004, more than 40.4 million Hispanics — 14 percent of
the total U.S. population — were living in the United States.
This makes Hispanics the largest and fastest-growing minority group
in the country, according to the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington,
D.C.

Although the surging population also means growth in customer
base for HME providers, the language barrier often creates
obstacles when Hispanics are seeking treatment. Forty-seven percent
of American Hispanics speak only Spanish. Not surprisingly, three
out of every 10 say they experience problems communicating with
health care providers.

Furthermore, due to a combination of genetics, diet, and access
to health care, Hispanic Americans are at greater risk for some
chronic diseases, such as diabetes, that HME providers are able to
help them manage.

“On average, Hispanic and Latino Americans are 1.5 times
more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar
age,” says Scott Robinson, director of specialty programs for
Valley Forge, Pa.-based AmerisourceBergen.

In an effort to improve communication with Spanish-speaking
patients, some providers have responded by hiring bilingual
customer service representatives and drivers.

In areas with large Hispanic populations, Spanish classes for
staff also can be useful. Even if employees are not proficient in
the language, just knowing key phrases and words can go a long way
in helping to understand patients' needs and making them feel
welcome in the store.

Offering patient education also can help serve the Hispanic
community. Diabetes Shoppe, an AmerisourceBergen program that
provides independent pharmacies with diabetes products, health
information and training, offers patient education and support
materials in Spanish. These include a Spanish-language version of
the program's quarterly newsletter, Shoppe Talk, which
contains diabetes health information for patients; the Viva
Bien
(Live Well) quarterly flyer series, with articles on
diabetes care and treatment; and a Spanish-language, sugar-free
products brochure. The program, which operates in more than 1,100
pharmacies nationwide, also offers in-store materials in Spanish,
including signage and advertisements.

“The goal of our program is to provide essential diabetes
health information to all patients in the communities served by
Diabetes Shoppe pharmacies,” Robinson says. “We want to
make sure that every patient receives the health information he or
she needs.”