Providing language services in healthcare is essential to serve the increasing number of Limited English Proficient (LEP)
patients admitted to hospitals across the country. An LEP person entering a healthcare facility has the right to the same
services as an English speaker and through language services, barriers to patient-provider communication can be overcome.
Providing language services for LEP patients:
- Improves quality of care and health outcomes
- Improves patient flow and resource utilization
- Improves access and patient satisfaction
- Helps demonstrate compliance with state and federal regulations
Improve the quality of patient care resulting in better health outcomes
Accurate diagnosis, treatment, and adherence to a treatment plan all require effective two-way communication. Language barriers
negatively affect patient-provider communication. Not providing adequate language services may result in sub-standard care
that can lead to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, and failure to follow treatment instructions. Read more
Improved patient flow and resource utilization for LEP patients
For a patient to receive efficient and effective care, staff must be able to communicate at every step. The inability to
do so may result in a poorly executed triage as well as unnecessary and time-consuming tests. By providing suitable language
services, hospital staff is better able to determine the most appropriate course of action relative to the actual need in
a clinically relevant timeframe. This impacts not only the LEP patient, but also all other patients waiting to be seen.
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Providing meaningful access to LEP patients and improving satisfaction
While language barriers sometime create obstactles to access, providing language services eases the burden on all parties involved
and best realizes the expectations of what healthcare provision is supposed to be. Patient rights are respected and maintained
and patient satisfaction increases. Read more
Compliance with state and federal regulation
Providing meaningful access to LEP persons is mandated by federal law for almost all healthcare organizations (Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Demonstrating compliance is critical to mitigate the risk of costly litigation and/or
the withdrawal of federal funding. In July 2009, the Department of Justice announced “a governmentwide initiative to strengthen
the enforcement of Title VI”, clearly indicating the current administration’s firm position on the issue.
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Read the 12 Warning Signs
Language Assistance Plan
Per Executive Order 13166, all federal agencies are required to maintain a written language assistance plan clarifying the
steps they will take to ensure meaningful access to LEPs. This legislation provides an indication of what is expected from
recipients of federal funding to demonstrate compliance. Read more
CyraCom – Interpretation and Translation solutions for healthcare
CyraCom assists clients in the development and implementation of a comprehensive language program. Please provide your information
for a free consultation.
CyraCom is a leading provider of language services to healthcare and our interpretation and translation solutions are exclusively
endorsed by the American Hospital Association. Read more