Coney Island, New York

Coney Island Hospital advertises mammograms in Urdu in Brooklyn's Pakistani newspaper, Sada e Pakistan.

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May 31, 2001 -- During the first half of the last century, Coney Island, New York, was a thriving amusement center in an area of south Brooklyn populated primarily by "ethnic whites." In recent years, immigrants from Latin and Asian countries have flooded the Coney Island area, joining the more established population.

This mix of cultures puts unusual demands on the public health care system -- in particular, the single public hospital in the area, Coney Island Hospital. Hospital officials say the only way to practice good medicine in a place as diverse as Coney Island is to communicate fully with patients, and establish their trust by offering a range of choices.

NPR's Joanne Silberner explains how the hospital is accommodating its new patients, for Morning Edition.