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5 Quick Questions with: Alberto Savoretti, MD 

https://www.oceanstatemedical.org/

 

1. What is your role in the RI healthcare community?

 Practicing primary care physician in Johnston, RI for over 20 years. I am fluent in Italian, Spanish, and French.

https://www.oceanstatemedical.org/

 

2. What do you love about your job?

I love being able to work with a diverse population with different problems and being able to frequently conduct visits in other languages. There's never the same patient, never mind the same visit twice and I enjoy the delight of always facing new situations. You never know what lies behind that exam room door! The challenge of always being welcome into these patients' lives with often unexpected problems that aren't straightforward is both rewarding and a great push for me to grow mentally and spiritually.

 

3. What is the biggest challenge that you face when providing care to your patient population?

Access to care is an enormous problem that spans the entire demographic and isn't just for the poor or vulnerable anymore as it has become universal, but obviously worse for disadvantaged groups that have a harder time advocating for themselves. One issue that I constantly read to be a challenge with disadvantaged populations is a language barrier but my patients regardless of background don't seem to have issues with adherence because I can communicate in many of their diverse languages and make the message effective in a way that is workable for them. Unfortunately, this advantage only seems to work within my scope as other healthcare organizations and entities don't seem to offer as much in terms of languages.

 

4. What are some healthcare barriers that your non-English speaking patients face?

For better or worse the barriers have become universal. While non-English speaking patients in the past had a harder time understanding how things work or healthcare in general what we are seeing, for example with obesity, is that socioeconomic status is no longer protective . The good news is that immigrant groups can be just as successful in a healthcare setting as the more fortunate and its not that hard. 

 

For example, in our IPA there was recently a push to increase colon cancer screening adherence in latino groups who had the lowest rates at only 40 percent. After an initiative that provided Spanish-speaking liaisons to explain why colon cancer screning is important and encourage follow through, the rate of colon cancer screening was brought in line with all other demographics close to 90 percent with this one step within a year.

 

5. If you could make one change to the RI healthcare system, what would it be?

Increase access. Decrease bureaucracy.  Anyone who makes decisions for a healthcare organization should also be employed in caring for patients on the front line like before. Once upon a time hospital boards were crewed by doctors and nurses responsible for making decisions that they would have to live with and going forward this would be an excellent policy to push through legal and financial means.

 

Furthermore encouraging everyone in healthcare at various levels of education or incentivization to learn or polish off foreign languages. It could be as simple as many medical schools already require a year in Spanish, or having a foreign language section on the MCAT, or providing subsidies or financial incentives for doctors and other providers to become proficient in foreign  languages that are germane to the community where they work. We have such a diverse and flourishing community of immigrants combined with fantastic academic resources in all the various area schools, so many wonderful organizations and clubs the process is quite easy for the open minded.

 

Anything else you'd like to add about current challenges facing the RI healthcare community?

Encourage more competition, look upon with umbrage at privatization, bring more physicians, especially those with linguistic abilities into the community and encourage them to practice locally. Also agree with the legislature's emphasis on scholarships for physicians looking to stay in Rhode Island to practice primary care.