Municipality/Region

Darmstadt-Dieburg, Germany

Summary

The Darmstadt-Dieburg district (Germany) has published a directory of doctors for migrants titled ‘Which doctor speaks my language?’ Medical practitioners in the district who speak languages in addition to German are listed in the publication, together with their areas of specialisation and details of their practice. This makes it easier for migrants in the area to obtain good health care.

Areas of integration covered by practice

Access of migrants to health services and housing

Background and purpose

In the patient-doctor relationship, trust and good linguistic understanding provide the basis for the healing process. To understand what is happening and to be understood, people who do not speak the host society language often rely on family members or professional interpreters. In the former case, amongst other things, family members do not always have knowledge of the subject and their involvement also gives rise to questions of confidentiality and patients’ privacy. In the latter, there are often not enough financial resources to employ a professional interpreter.

This project can be seen as a bridging measure to make it easier for migrants to obtain medical advice and care without having to rely on the support of family members or acquaintances.

Timeframe

The directory was first published in its existing form in 2011 and is now available in its third edition. Further editions are planned.

How does it work?

Compilation of the guide is a joint project between the Office for Migration and Inclusion and the Office for Equal Opportunities, with budgetary resources from the Darmstadt-Dieburg district.

The Office for Migration and Inclusion wrote to all hospitals, (specialist) doctors’ practices and medical care centres in the region, asking them to fill out a form and requesting their agreement to include their details in the directory. Frequently, there was a need to follow up with telephone calls to complete or compare details. The directory is organised by areas of medical specialisation and by different languages. It includes entries on doctors, midwives and hospitals, offering services in a total of 36 languages.

Results and evaluation

The directory of doctors is regularly consulted, and not only by advice and care centres in the social and health domains, but also by hospitals, health insurance bodies, councils and associations. Higher education institutions and large international firms in the region also use the directory to give their students and employees practical support.

In addition to providing direct value in the search for a suitable medical practice, the brochure acts as a reminder for stakeholders operating at the district level about multilingualism and its importance in the provision of public services. The brochure makes visible the social value of linguistic diversity in medical care provision in the region.

Funding

The service is fully financed from the district’s municipal funds.

Contact

Office for Migration and Inclusion - Frau Kroll

Phone: +49 (0) 6151 881 2182

Email: migration+inklusion@ladadi.de 

Further information

A digital version of the directory of doctors is available on the website of the Office for Migration and Inclusion.

In addition, there is also a health guide, available in 13 languages, drawn up by the Darmstadt-Dieburg district in conjunction with local hospitals. Health insurance and visits to the doctor are covered in the guide, as are emergency care, early diagnosis of cancer, medical prescriptions, pregnancy care and children’s healthcare. Telephone numbers for emergency assistance are listed separately so that they are visible and can be easily found.