Language Services for Hospitals and Clinics
We help Medical Professionals create a Language Access Plan that will meet the Language needs of patients and improve the quality of their health care.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN
The need for Language Access Services has become increasingly pertinent given the continued growth in language diversity within the United States. The number of individuals who speak a language other than English at home rose from 31.8 million in 1990 to 61.8 million in 2013. In addition, the number of individuals who speak English less than “very well” reflects a 63 percent rise in the number of LEP individuals in the United States over the 13-year period. The largest increases were for speakers of Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.
One in five U.S. residents now speaks a foreign language at home.
Here are the four major benefits of developing a comprehensive Language Access Plan for your facility.
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Increase accessibility
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Improve quality of care, health outcomes, and health status
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Increase patient care satisfaction
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Enhance or ensure appropriate resource utilization and avoid medical staff frustration
ACCESSIBILITY TO CARE
The implementation of appropriate LAS can increase LEP patient access to health care. Conversely, when appropriate LAS are unavailable, there is a greater likelihood that an LEP patient will not see a healthcare provider for needed care. For example, language barriers have led to fewer physician visits and reduced receipt of preventive services among LEP patients, even after considering factors such as literacy, health status, health insurance, regular source of care, and economic indicators. Consequently, the use of clinical and preventive services has increased when professional interpretation services were provided. In addition, increased racial and ethnic diversity among professionals has improved access to care for minority patients. This topic is important because it affects the more than 21 million Americans who are LEP, and a systematic review will be useful in identifying the critical issues in this area for health care providers, institutions, and policy makers.
QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE
The provision of appropriate LAS can improve quality of care. For example, Latino children have experienced adverse health consequences, such as poor medical diagnoses and inappropriate prescriptions, as a result of the failure of medical staff to speak Spanish.24Conversely, among diabetics, LEP patients who were provided with trained medical interpreters were more likely than limited English proficient patients to receive care meeting selected American Diabetes Association guidelines. Language barriers have negatively affected patient- provider communication. For example, in an urban emergency room, Spanish-speaking patients who needed an interpreter but did not get one were significantly more likely to report a poor or fair understanding of their discharge diagnoses and treatment plans than those who used an interpreter or were proficient in English.18 Likewise, providers have frequently identified language or cultural barriers as elements that hinder the quality of patient education for diabetes care
CREATE A LANGUAGE SERVICE PLAN IN 21 DAYS
YOU ARE THE HERO who can positively impact your organization and become the Language Access Expert. This PLAN has helped hundreds of health care professionals like you achieve a fluid communication and better connection with patients who have Limited English Proficiency.
SIGN UP TODAY and receive this guide, training materials and other resources. We will also invite you to our exclusive webinar series.
With this e-book you will learn three major things:
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How to assess the Language needs of the patients that visit your facility
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How to effectively schedule and work with a Medical Interpreter
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How to inspire your organization to be culturally competent
…Let’s Build Healthy Connections!
PATIENT SATISFACTION
Appropriate LAS implementation can improve patient satisfaction. Patients who have needed interpretation services but did not get them have the lowest levels of satisfaction as compared with those not needing an interpreter and those who received an interpreter. LEP patients as well as providers have reported being the most satisfied during healthcare experiences when using professional medical interpreters as compared with using family members and friends, telephone interpreters, bilingual support staff, or bilingual physicians. Patient-provider communication can also be improved when appropriate LAS are implemented. For example, in an urban emergency room, Spanish-speaking patients who needed an interpreter but did not get one were significantly more likely to report a poor or fair understanding of their discharge diagnoses and treatment plans than those who used an interpreter or were proficient in English.
RESOURCE UTILIZATION
The implementation of LAS can enhance or ensure appropriate resource utilization. For example, physicians have performed more frequent and more expensive testing and made more use of intravenous hydration when a bilingual physician or professional interpreter was not available. The lack of interpretation services has also resulted in more frequent hospital admissions. In general, the duration of patient visits has increased when LAS were not in place. However, some studies have shown no increase, and a few studies have shown a decrease in the length of visit. Although the use of a professional medical interpreter may lengthen the time of a visit, use of bilingual physicians and professional medical interpreters may decrease costs because of more appropriate resource utilization. Similarly, although implementing LAS may add costs in the short term, it may lead to reduced costs over time because of increased use of primary care and preventive services.
CAN YOU CONFIDENTLY SAY THIS ABOUT YOUR FACILITY
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We ensure that patients receive from all staff members effective, understandable, and respectful care that is provided in a manner compatible with their cultural health beliefs and practices and preferred language.
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We ensure that staff at all levels and across all disciplines receive ongoing education and training in Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) delivery.
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We provide language assistance services, including bilingual staff and interpreter services, at no cost to each patient/consumer with LEP at all points of contact and in a timely manner during all hours of operation.
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We provide to patients/consumers in their preferred language both verbal offers and written notices informing them of their right to receive language assistance services.
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We make available easily understood patient-related materials and post signage in the languages of the commonly encountered groups and/or groups represented in the service area.
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We ensure that data on the individual patient’s race,ethnicity,and spoken and written language are collected in health records, integrated into the organization’s management information systems, and periodically updated.
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We maintain a current demographic, cultural, and epidemiological profile of the community as well as a needs assessment to accurately plan for and implement services that respond to the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the service area.
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We develop participatory, collaborative partnerships with communities and utilize a variety of formal and informal mechanisms to facilitate community and patient/consumer involvement in designing and implementing CLAS-related activities.
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We ensure that conflict and grievance resolution processes are culturally and linguistically sensitive and capable of identifying, preventing, and resolving cross-cultural conflicts or complaints by patients
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We make available regularly to the public information about their progress and successful innovations in implementing the CLAS standards and to provide public notice in their communities about the availability of this information.
PATIENT SATISFACTION
Appropriate LAS implementation can improve patient satisfaction. Patients who have needed interpretation services but did not get them have the lowest levels of satisfaction as compared with those not needing an interpreter and those who received an interpreter. LEP patients as well as providers have reported being the most satisfied during healthcare experiences when using professional medical interpreters as compared with using family members and friends, telephone interpreters, bilingual support staff, o
Legendary Service
Legendary customer service and direct contact with representatives (We are available 24/7)
High Quality
Medical Translation Services and Professional Interpreters with their accreditation in the needed field.
Competitive Rates
Competitive prices. We charge up to 20% less than other companies in the U.S.
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