Language Gaps in Health Care Can Be Deadly—CU Denver Program Trains Professionals to Close Them
Miscommunication in health care can have serious consequences. At the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver), a medical Spanish certificate program is designed to prevent that.
The Certificate in Medical Spanish trains students and working health care providers to communicate more clearly with Spanish-speaking patients—a skill faculty and clinicians say directly impacts care.
“Sometimes one misunderstood word can make all the difference,” said Associate Professor Marisa Fernandez Martinez, who developed the program. “Not being able to understand a word, the name of a medication, or a symptom, it can literally be the difference between life and death.”
Communication breakdowns are a leading factor in medical errors. Studies from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the non-profit organization the Joint Commission have found that poor communication contributes to more than 60% of all hospital “adverse events.” This also leads to medical errors through misdiagnosis. There is also a financial cost. Earlier research on malpractice cases linked communication failures to $1.7 billion in costs and nearly 2,000 deaths.
Fernandez Martinez launched the program in 2023 with the goal of helping medical practitioners better understand, connect, and serve Colorado’s growing Spanish-speaking population. And it’s not just about Spanish phrases and vocabulary. The curriculum focuses on cultural nuances and how context can shape how patients describe symptoms, make decisions, and engage with care providers.
The certificate program is open to students already enrolled at CU Denver as well as working professionals. Courses are offered asynchronously and take as little as one year to complete. For Haley Almeida, a transcranial magnetic stimulation technician in Loveland, the program was an opportunity to help patients understand her role in their mental health treatment. She operates special equipment that helps treat depression and other mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Creating a safe, supportive environment is essential, but language can often get in the way. The first time she used what she learned through the certificate program was shortly after she graduated and was working in Denver.
“I remember this woman wasn’t saying much,” said Almeida. “But when I approached her in Spanish, she opened up. She later told me, if I hadn’t talked to her in Spanish, she wouldn’t have said anything even though she knew she needed help. That really made an impression on me. Language can help build trust which translates into better patient care.”
Almeida graduated from CU Denver in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and the certificate. She was inspired to pursue a mental health career and to seek out culturally relevant coursework because her grandmother battled bi-polar disorder.
“Communication is so much more than words and it’s very important,” she said.
Dr. Heidi Gage, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Parker, agrees. Originally from Pueblo, she’s been practicing medicine for 29 years and has seen the Spanish speaking population grow locally.
“I enrolled (in the certificate program as a non-degree seeking student) because I wanted to be able to communicate with my Spanish-speaking patients,” Gage said. “People appreciate that. It helps build trust. I’ve also learned the importance of family in patient treatment and decisions. It’s just as important to understand the cultures as it is the language.”
Both medical professionals say the program fills a practical gap in health care training: the ability to understand patients and be understood.
Current CU Denver students who want more information click here. For working professionals, please contact Fernandez Martinez at maria.fernandezmartinez@ucdenver.edu to explore options.
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About the University of Colorado Denver
Millions of moments start at CU Denver, a place where innovation, research, and learning meet in the heart of a global city. We’re the state’s premier public urban research university with more than 100 in-demand, top-ranked bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. We partner with more than 13,000 diverse learners—at any stage of their life and career—for transformative educational experiences. Across seven schools and colleges, our leading faculty inspires and works alongside students to solve complex challenges and produce impactful creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 2,000 employees and an annual economic impact of $665 million. To learn more about how CU Denver helps learners meet their moment, visit ucdenver.edu.