Mehrsprachige Kommunikation und Sprachenbedarfe im saarländischen Gesundheitswesen in der deutsch-französischen Grenzregion: erste Erkenntnisse aus einer Sprachbedarfsanalyse

Abstract

The establishment and enhancement of Franco-German cooperation in the healthcare sector represents one of the objectives outlined in current Saarland policy frameworks, such as the France Strategy and the European Mission Statement of the Saarland. In this context, communication and interaction are of particular importance, as rapid response and seamless understanding are crucial, especially in emergency situations. This study contributes to this discourse by examining multilingual communication practices and language needs in Saarland’s healthcare system based on a language needs analysis conducted in spring 2024. The objective was to systematically assess communicative competencies and linguistic require­ments in professional settings, particularly among physicians, nursing staff, and paramedics, with the aim of developing, implementing, and evaluating a profession-specific French language course in cooperation with the Association of Adult Education Centers of Saarland.