Hispanics have become a rapidly growing segment of the population, not only in the U.S. as a whole, but also right here in the CSRA. According to recent demographic research, there are currently more than 40,000 Hispanics in this area, with that number expected to double within the next five years.

MCG Health System now offers general health information in Spanish on its website (www.MCGHealth.org) to help support this rapidly growing segment of the population. From the homepage, Spanish-speaking users can click on two links, Para ayuda en Español or Información de la Salud del Niño en Español, to locate general health information for adults and children on more than 50 topics, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, nutrition, and growth and development.

Another benefit is a physician search capability that allows visitors to locate physicians that speak one of 17 languages, including Spanish, Korean, Persian and American Sign Language.

"Our goal is to provide excellent service to our entire community," said Detria Austin, Assistant Vice President for Administrative Services at MCG Health System. "We have recently developed the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Department to help serve the needs of non-English speaking patients. We hope that these new tools on our website will assist Spanish-speaking patients and others in researching their health care needs."

The CLAS Department provides outreach, increases services and instills sensitivity to non-American, non-English speaking patients and their families. They also provide interpreters as well as printed patient materials and signage in Spanish.

MCG Health System is composed of three separate organizations -- MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. The physicians of MCG Health System are community physicians, faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia, and employees of the Physicians Practice Group, not employees of MCG Health Inc. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Medical Center, MCG Children’s Medical Center, the MCG Sports Medicine Center, MCG Ambulatory Care Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by providing an environment for faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the Physicians Practice Group and community physicians to deliver the highest level of primary and specialty health care. For more information, please visit www.mcghealth.org.