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Jacqueline Ortiz Honored for Increasing Patient Access to Interpreter Services
Fifty-eight years ago, a young man from Argentina wound up in surgery at a California hospital after stomach pains turned out to be peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall. He was discharged to his wife’s care, with one problem — neither the man nor his wife had any idea how to care for the open wound in his abdomen. Jacqueline Ortiz The couple did not understand the lengthy instructions delivered in English, and there was no interpreter to explain to them in their native Spanish what to expect. So, when the man tried to take a bath and discovered the gauze was stuck to his wound, he didn’t know what to do. Fear and uncertainty compounded an already stressful time. Jacqueline Ortiz wasn’t yet born when her father’s health care emergency took place, but growing up she heard the story over and over. It was more than family lore for Ortiz — it was a lesson. Ortiz said she wanted her mother, pictured with her at the DVTA event, to see the growing number of people working as interpreters to ensure people get the information they need in the language they understand. Ortiz, now the vice president for Health Equity and Cultural Competence at ChristianaCare, saw firsthand how the experience left her parents terrified of the medical environment. Removing barriers to good health Years later, Ortiz is a leader in advocating for patients to have access to qualified, culturally responsive medical interpreting services to remove communication barriers with providers and ensure the best possible care and outcomes. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. Her pioneering efforts and enthusiasm for promoting the use of trained interpreters in health care earned Ortiz the inaugural Making an Impact Award from the Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA) during an event Sept. 9 at Widener University. In her role at ChristianaCare, she builds the organization’s capacity to reduce the incidence of disease and improve health outcomes, advance equitable health care services, and reduce health disparities for identified conditions and target populations through culturally competent care, including providing health care in patients’ native languages. She has over 20 years of experience researching, teaching and working in cultural competence and health equity, social networks, and economic sociology. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. A vision for serving everyone Eliane Sfeir-Markus, CHI, president of the DVTA, said the award recognizes the efforts of those working to make interpreting and translation more available to people with limited English proficiency, and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Ortiz’s pioneering work to expand language services for patients and implement comprehensive cultural competence training at ChristianaCare have set a standard for caring for patients in their native languages. “Jaki’s vision for a health care system that truly serves everyone, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background, is inspiring,” Sfeir-Markus said. “We as patients deserve someone who knows our culture to take care of us.” ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters and over 100 caregivers who have undergone additional training to provide interpreting services when needed. ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters — who wear eggplant-colored uniforms — and over 100 bilingual caregivers who have undergone special training to serve as interpreters in some settings. “Jaki is a well-known name in the field of interpreting and translation because she has advocated for education and professionalization of interpreters in health care,” said Claudia Reyes-Hull, MArch, CMI, CHI, manager of Cultural and Linguistic Programs at ChristianaCare. “Thanks to her advocacy, more health care systems are recognizing the need to have trained interpreters for their patients.” In accepting the award, Ortiz said interpreters play a critical role in health care by making it possible for patients — and their families — to take an active role in their own care and decrease the anxiety over visiting a health care provider. She credited the success of ChristianaCare’s interpreting and translations services and its continued growth to the collaborative spirit and camaraderie among its team of caregivers, particularly Reyes-Hull. Ortiz said her family’s personal experience with a lack of interpreting services during a hospital stay made them anxious about health care for years. “Probably all of us in this room have walked into a courtroom or a lawyer’s office or a hospital room or a clinic and introduced ourselves and seen that immediate response and relaxation in the person we were speaking with,” Ortiz said to the translators at the DVTA event. “You make those interactions within our legal, educational and health care systems so much better.”
Expert Q & A: What led to the Hamas attack on Israel and what role will the United States play?
The conflict between Israel and Palestine dates back many years, but the recent escalation can be attributed to issues centering around Palestinian rights and access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to Craig Albert, PhD, program director of the Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies at Pamplin College of Arts Humanities, and Social Sciences at Augusta University. Albert, who is a leading expert on relations in the Middle East and American interests in the region, also notes that Hamas has been fighting against what it believes is unwarranted and illegal Israeli settlements being extended into Palestinian territory, while Israel has had a serious blockade on the Gaza Strip for over a decade. Hamas views this as state-oppression and thus, when combined, led to this horrific attack. Q: Now that Israel is declaring war, what should we expect to see in the upcoming days/weeks? A: We should expect more attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as Hezbollah from Lebanon. This means that there is a serious possibility of a two front war for Israel as it strikes towards the Gaza Strip near the sea, and more north into Lebanon. Concerning the State of Israel, look for a massive air bombardment over the next few days until the conditions on the ground are satisfactory, according to Israeli intelligence, to send in massive ground forces. One can expect a full infantry onslaught with all that entails within the Gaza Strip and perhaps other areas as well. We could also seem so strikes against Iran, especially cyber in nature, but perhaps, much more kinetic than we can imagine given the emotions being felt by the Israeli security council. Unfortunately, we can expect massive civilian casualties on both sides as this continues especially when Israel invades with its heavy ground forces. Q: What role does the U.S. play in all of this? A: The United States is already sending in a carrier fleet to show support for Israel; but one can imagine a scenario where Israel and Iran get into a serious confrontation, resulting in direct action by the U.S. on the side of Israel. The U.S. is also already supplying munitions and intelligence to the Israelis, and we should expect to see more in this area over the coming weeks and months. Note that the U.S. might have to take drastic actions itself as its war materials are being dramatically reduced because of arming the Ukrainians against Russia, and now, looking to arm heavily Israel. It is quite possible that the U.S. could be pulled into this in a direct way but currently, it just does not have the war material to conduct massive military operations if called to do so. This is quite a dramatic situation for the U.S., and of course for Israel. Looking to know more or connect with Dr. Albert for an interview? Dr. Albert is available to speak with media – simply click on his name to arrange an interview today.
One of the most extensive ways humans modify the planet is through agricultural practices. At the University of Delaware, assistant professor Kyle Davis has been conducting research on sustainable agricultural food systems on a global scale for many years, thinking about how these systems, because of their vast impact, can also act as a catalyst for addressing issues related to sustainability. This research, as well as the mentoring of graduate students and the research they are conducting in his lab, earned Davis a 2023 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Davis, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, as well as a resident faculty member with UD’s Data Science Institute, said he was honored and humbled to receive the award and that he feels deeply fortunate to get to do research he loves and to work on new science with students from across the university. “One of the greatest joys of the job is being able to mentor graduate students,” Davis said. “I feel really lucky to get to work with a group of incredibly talented and enthusiastic graduate students who come from all over the world.” Davis said that, in a lot of ways, the research he conducts has grown through working with graduate students, coming up with ideas and exploring those ideas together. “So much of my research is the result of their passion, abilities, drive, and creativity,” Davis said. The Davis Lab conducts research on a global scale and also has a key focus on four main countries: the United States, China, India and Nigeria. The research in those areas takes on different forms and looks at different questions. In the U.S., for instance, the research is primarily focused on addressing questions related to water scarcity and food production in the West. The research in Nigeria concentrates on addressing agricultural data and information needs across the country, while the work in India and China is focused on questions related to crop production, nutrition, farmer livelihoods and water sustainability. “We look at the nutritional supply and climate resilience of different crops and their associated water, energy, fertilizer and pesticide needs and try to find opportunities to improve all of these outcomes simultaneously,” Davis said.
Career expert offers tips for spotting the warning signs in job listings
Great salary? Check. Amazing benefits? Check. So what's the catch? It's right there in the job listing – you're just missing it. Jill Gugino Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center at the University of Delaware, has helped more than a few job seekers navigate the rough waters of career sites. She lists three of the most common warning signs to look for in a listings: Vagueness. A good job description should outline specific responsibilities, projects and programs you’ll be working on, teams you’ll be interacting with, etc. I’ve seen job descriptions that have simple bullet points with few words or generic phrases like “customer service” but don’t outline what the actual duties include. This could signal that the role is unstructured and/or the company is unfocused. Too many roles. Watch out for a listing if it looks like there's multiple jobs rolled into one. For example, IT/Admin/Client Relationship Manager. These should be three separate jobs and not under one job. That could mean that the job is not clearly defined or they are so short staffed, they don’t have enough people to do the work needed which could signal a super stressful job. Too many questions. Overall, after reading a job description, if you have too many questions or don’t have a general understanding of the skills required, it might be best to move on. To set up an interview with Panté, simply click on her profile and click the contact button. You will reach her and a member of the UD media relations team who can get you connected quickly.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Customer Experience
Gaurav Jain, assistant professor of marketing at the Rensselaer Lally School of Management, examines how individuals make judgments, estimates, and decisions in the absence of complete information. Previously, Jain served as the chief marketing advisor at multiple firms. Below are his thoughts on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on customer experience. Voice of the Customer In today's hyper-connected world, the voice of the customer (VoC) is louder and clearer than ever. But how do we sift through this cacophony to understand what our customers are really saying? Enter AI. It's revolutionizing the way customer experience teams handle VoC programs, and as a marketing leader, I find this incredibly exciting. Take direct customer feedback, for example. We're no longer just collecting survey responses and storing them in a database for quarterly review. AI algorithms, particularly those using natural language processing, are helping us instantly categorize and prioritize this feedback. Imagine an e-commerce platform that can immediately flag a customer's mention of "late delivery" in a post-purchase survey. That's not just efficient; it's customer-centric. But what about the things customers are saying when they're not directly talking to us? That's where AI-driven sentiment analysis comes in. These tools can scan social media, forums, and review sites to gauge the sentiment behind a customer's words. I've seen hotel chains use this technology to monitor travel forums and review sites. If a guest mentions "noisy rooms," even without lodging a direct complaint, the brand can proactively look into soundproofing solutions. Then there's inferred feedback, the kind you get by reading between the lines. AI can analyze customer behavior, like frequent page visits without conversion or cart abandonment, to suggest what might be going wrong. For instance, an online fashion retailer could use AI to figure out why a particular dress gets a lot of views but few purchases. Maybe it's the sizing, maybe it's the price, but the point is, you get to know without having to ask. And it doesn't stop at gathering feedback. AI is helping us turn this raw data into actionable insights. We can predict future behavior, like churn rates, based on past feedback. This allows us to be proactive rather than reactive, which is a game-changer in customer experience management. Finally, let's talk about what happens after we've gathered all this feedback. AI is ensuring that every customer who takes the time to share their thoughts receives an immediate and appropriate response. Chatbots can handle common queries or concerns, making the customer feel heard and valued right away. So, from the perspective of a marketing leader, it's not just about the efficiency that AI brings to VoC programs. It's about the opportunity to deepen our connection with customers. By truly understanding their words, their sentiments, and even their behaviors, we can craft experiences that resonate on a human level. And in a world that's increasingly digital, that human touch is what sets a brand apart. Customer Service It's truly intriguing to observe how AI is weaving its way into the customers’ experience. Online, chatbots are making waves. Chatbots are not just digital tools; they're our first point of contact, bridging the gap between brands and consumers. However, there was always the question of accuracy versus efficiency while managing these chatbots – AI has answered that question. AI chatbots provide real-time yet accurate assistance, making the digital shopping journey feel more interactive. Companies can reduce customer dropout while avoiding the expense of managing a large human customer service team. AI is revolutionizing phone-based customer service as well. Voice recognition allows natural language processing for easier navigation, while predictive analysis anticipates caller needs based on their history. Enhanced personalization means customers no longer repetitively provide account details, and emotion detection aids in gauging caller mood. The result? Reduced wait times, more efficient interactions, and a significantly improved telephonic customer experience. In essence, AI is bridging the gap between technology and human touch in the retail world, making our interactions with brands more meaningful and personalized. Again, companies can do this in a cost-effective manner. Jain is available to speak with media - - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
For the second consecutive time, ChristianaCare has earned the Joy in Medicine™ recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA). ChristianaCare earned Gold Level recognition, the highest level of recognition in the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program. It was one of only 10 health systems nationwide to achieve Gold Level. The recognition underscores ChristianaCare’s demonstrated commitment to the well-being of clinical care team members. “Receiving the Joy in Medicine Award the first time was certainly an honor, but achieving gold level status a second time is an even greater achievement, as the requirements are more exacting,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “It is a testament to the fact that at ChristianaCare and our Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, we are not comfortable resting on our laurels. We continue to raise the bar in our efforts to support the well-being of our caregivers, effectively respond to the changing health care landscape and foster an environment where each of our caregivers can thrive.” Continued Excellence in Support of Caregivers In 2022, ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing launched Psychological First Aid training to help organization leaders build skills to identify and support colleagues impacted by stress. More than half of ChristianaCare leaders completed the training in 2022. The training is now available to all caregivers. In addition, ChristianaCare’s peer support program, known as Care for the Caregiver, offers confidential individual peer support and group support following a range of stressful events at work. The program completed nearly 2,500 encounters from 2015 to 2022. ChristianaCare also has established the Workplace Civility Steer Team, which provides strategic direction in establishing an environment that is safe and free of violence for caregivers, patients and visitors. The team performs this through program and process development for the identification, prevention and response to workplace violence, a challenge increasingly faced by health care workers nationwide. “Health organizations that have earned recognition from the AMA’s Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leading a national movement that has declared the well-being of health professionals to be an essential element for providing high-quality care to patients, families and communities,” said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “Each Joy in Medicine recognized organization is distinguished as among the nation’s best at creating a culture of wellness that makes a difference in the lives of clinical care teams.” Burnout rates among the nation’s physicians and other health care professionals spiked dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic placed acute stress on care teams and exacerbated long-standing systemic issues. While the worst days of the pandemic have passed, the lingering impact of work-related burnout remains an obstacle to achieving national health goals. Since its inception in 2019, the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 100 organizations across the country. In 2023, a total of 72 health systems nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork and support.
It's only been since January, but the cannabis industry in Connecticut is already a hit among consumers. There was initial worry that the quick expansion of stores and dispensaries could potentially blunt the long-term success of the retail aspect of the product in the state, but according to UConn's Fred Carstensen concerns about the oversupply seen in neighboring states is not a worry. “It’ll take three to four years to see how the market develops,” said Carstensen, a professor at University of Connecticut and the director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. In an article that goes into great detail, Carsten told the Stamford Advocate about the many factors and influences that can impact what has been a volatile market in some states since legalization became the trend. And as the state government checks the expansion of Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis market, Carstensen said local governments do the same. He said it wouldn’t matter if Connecticut’s retail cannabis scene was over-licensed, under-licensed, or just right. “Every municipality has the right to say yea or nay (to retailers),” Carstensen said. But he said an estimated 69 cannabis retailers in the Nutmeg State’s pipeline will make the bigger picture clearer. “(Then) it's pretty much available to everybody on a relatively short-travel basis,” Carstensen said. “Then we'll actually know what the market is.” Regulation and observation will be key to measure the success or failure of the market. Carstensen said that as the Nutmeg State’s market matures, retailers will “pull that business back into Connecticut when we become more competitively priced.” Peake agreed that “as (more Connecticut retailers) open up, we can probably expect the vast majority of those folks to be buying cannabis in Connecticut.” And Carstensen said that as much as interstate cannabis purchases skew understanding Connecticut’s market, it also serves as a check on oversaturating the Nutmeg State’s cannabis economy... And, Carstensen said, if there were too many cannabis dispensaries, "the market will tell us." "They’ll close,” the economics professor said. If you're a journalist looking to know more about this emerging industry in Connecticut and beyond, let us help. Fred Carstensen is a University of Connecticut professor and director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. He is a renowned an expert in the areas of public policy, economic history, and economics. Simply click on his icon now to arrange a time to talk today.
With days to go, will politicians force a deal or face a federal shutdown?
Once again, the federal government is facing a shutdown, and it could threaten crucial federal workers and programs. If a new funding agreement is not reached by Sept. 30, numerous agencies could close and many would be forced to work without pay until the funds are appropriated. William Hatcher, PhD, chair of the Department of Social Sciences in Augusta University's Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, said a shutdown would affect all of us. This includes important reviews being done by the federal government, such as the Food and Drug Administration, down to national museums and parks being closed. It would affect a large portion of the population. With the deadline looming, the White House specifically mentioned the numerous agencies that could have services curtailed, and they did this for strategic reasons, according to Hatcher. “They are doing a public service by pointing out all that will be affected via a shutdown,” said Hatcher. “Scholars have said Americans are often theoretical conservatives about the size of government, but when it comes to practice, we support public programs, and many who may say they oppose government, when you start asking them about individual programs, they have a high level of support.” Hatcher added this is partisanship at play. “One party is actually historically the most likely to push these shutdowns, even going back to the federal shutdowns in the mid-1990s. And it has often caused political damage to the party because people really realize how much a shutdown affects them when these things happen,” said Hatcher. He added this hurts the effectiveness of the public sector, our trust in government and the overall condition of our democracy when basic work doesn’t happen. While putting temporary spending plans in place can solve some problems, having a long-term deal in place is ideal. “We should be passing budgets for at least an entire fiscal year, not stopgap measures for weeks or even days. However, there is a logic to this happening. The incentives in the Republican Party reward members of Congress, especially those in the House, from making deals and support the necessity of this government spending, which makes it difficult for agreements to come together.” It's going to be an interesting week, and if you're a journalist covering the looming shutdown, then let us help with your stories. Hatcher is a professor of political science and chair of Augusta University’s Department of Social Sciences. He is an expert in the areas of public administration and social, economic and political institutions. Hatcher is available to speak with media regarding this topic. To arrange an interview today, simply click on his icon now.
Murdoch's shocking retirement: Expert predicts minimal change in Fox's stance or approach
Despite the fact that he was 92, Rupert Murdoch's retirement as chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp. came as a shock. Many observers see the passing of the torch from right-wing Rupert to more right-wing son Lachlan as a potentially seismic shift in the media landscape. Danilo Yanich, professor of public policy and administration at the University of Delaware, can discuss the changing of the guard at Fox, which he believes won't alter the network's approach all that much. Yanich doesn't think anything will change from the media side of the equation – coverage won't be any more right wing than it was before. "Lachlan has been running the day-to-day activities for some time now." Also, Yanich said, whether Rupert is "retired" or not does not take him out of the picture. "He still owns the company." Yanich noted that there has been commentary regarding the implications his retirement has for the power arrangements within the company. "That is probably true, but I do not see any change in how Fox approaches its media activities." Yanich's research centers on the media and its intersection with citizenship, public policy and crime, as well as media ownership. He directs the Local Television News Media Project, which examines the role of the news media in democracy and public policy. Yanich was awarded presidential fellowships at two Salzberg Seminars (Salzburg, Austria), both focused on ethics and the news media. To set up an interview with Yanich, simply click on this profile below.
Hospital at Home: Understanding How It Works
As the ChristianaCare Hospital Care at Home program grows, we see the benefits of improving the way we deliver care to our patients. With each patient we care for, we are reminded that a big part of recuperating and getting better is not just physical but mental and emotional. Being home allows patient to visit with loved ones, cuddle with pets and sleep in their own bed. It also helps our health care providers better understand a patient’s living environment, making it possible for us to provide the individual services they need. Q. What is hospital care at home? A. I think of a virtual hospital as three components: a command center, technology and in-home care. The command center is a 24/7, 365-day- a-week center staffed by physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians and patient digital ambassadors. This team of health care providers is tethered to patients in the home by way of our technology. We give our patients a tablet that lists their daily schedule so they know who to expect in their home and the time our health care providers will arrive. It also allows them to contact the command center at any time by pressing a button. When they do that, a nurse appears on the screen right away. Edwin Bryson Sr. said ChristianaCare made it easy to treat his diabetes complications from the privacy and comfort of his own home. With hospital care at home, he said, “all I do is hit the button and a nurse comes on to assist me with anything I need. It was 24-hour service here, just like I was in the hospital.” Technology also allows us to monitor patients’ vital signs at home as we would in the traditional hospital setting. We use Bluetooth technology to upload that information into the electronic medical record. In-home care is made up of a team that goes into the home to deliver the services that a particular patient needs. This includes radiology (X-rays and ultrasound), blood tests, intravenous medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy and more. A licensed professional, such as a nurse, also visits the patient at home at least twice a day. Q. Who is eligible for hospital care at home? A. There are requirements for participation. Patients need to live within 25 miles from our Delaware hospital campuses which are in Newark and Wilmington. We also are looking for patients that meet our acute, inpatient level of care. So if they’re in observation status, for example, they wouldn’t be a good candidate. We also need patients who don’t require continuous monitoring: If a patient has telemetry monitoring or if they’re in the intensive care unit or a step-down unit, they would not be a good candidate. Our team works every day with caregivers at both Delaware hospitals to identify patients who would benefit from hospital care at home. Q. What are common sicknesses that can be treated at home? The first 20 patients we admitted into this program had 20 different diagnoses. But after treating more than 500 patients, the most common diagnoses that we see are cellulitis, sepsis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation and congestive heart failure. Hospital at home may not be the solution for all patients, but in many cases it can help patients get better quicker and in a place where they most feel comfortable. As ChristianaCare strives for greater access to care, home may be where the health is.
