"Easy Japanese" for Everyone: Another Way to Enhance Communication Skills for Promoting Partnerships with Patients Including Those from Overseas / 医学教育

ABSTRACT

Many healthcare professionals believe they must speak English to communicate with patients from overseas. However, a survey revealed more than 70% of overseas patients comfortably use Japanese in their daily life. Therefore “Easy Japanese” has been promoted at municipal offices, tourism agencies, or schools attended by children with ties to overseas countries. However, Easy Japanese is not known to clinical staff.　This article introduced an overview of “Easy Japanese” and the educational materials we have developed for busy clinicians. As the number of international residents has been increasing, hospitals must be equipped with medical interpreters and “Easy Japanese.” Easy Japanese is also helpful for the elderly, especially those with hearing and/or cognitive impairment. Medical interpreters and sign-language interpreters often express the merits of “Easy Japanese,” which is a valuable tool for multicultural societies and should be implemented in medical education.