While the language barrier may be the most obvious obstacle to treating immigrant patients, cultural differences, financial hurdles, and an enormous disparity in terms of life experiences are often just as much a challenge to doctors.
Dr. Danielle Ofri, a physician at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, encourages health care providers to take the time to connect with their patients on a more personal level. Patients from varied backgrounds are often eager and willing to share information with their doctors about their particular culture, a gesture that may help to bridge the gap.
Dr. Ofri also estimates that a significant percentage of immigrant patients are uninsured, a fact that complicates treatment even further, although some states such as New York mandate that hospitals offer financial assistance to all patients, whether they are in the U.S. legally or not.
Many U.S. citizens feel that illegal immigrants are a drain on the already struggling American health care system; however, Dr. Ofri feels a duty to look past the patient’s immigration status when treating, particularly in light of some of the injustices and burdens that many of her patients have suffered.
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