During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers have had to adjust the way they evaluate and care for patients using methods that do not rely on in-person services. As a result, recent policy changes during this difficult time have sought to reduce barriers to health service access. These changes have expanded the ability to use telehealth as a way to deliver acute, chronic, primary, and specialty care.

One specific example of these policy changes is the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid telehealth services under the 1135 waiver. Under this new waiver, Medicare can pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth across the country and including in patients’ places of residence starting March 6, 2020. One of the goals of this expansion is to ensure that high-risk patients have easy-to-use, accessible benefits that can help them stay healthy.

What do these changes mean for Limited English Proficiency patients?

While telehealth services are increasing due to COVID, many Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients are reluctant to use them. The University of California found that their primary care clinic’s number of LEP patients dropped by 50% once they switched to telehealth. A major concern of medical providers is that while clinics are limiting in-person interaction to slow the spread of COVID, a LEP patient’s ability to effectively communicate using a video conferencing platform directly impacts their ability to receive healthcare.

How can LEP patients access the telehealth services they need?

One way that health providers can make telehealth accessible to their LEP patients is by using a platform that enables the patient to communicate with their provider via a remote interpreter. There are two basic types of remote interpretation:

Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) and Over the Phone Interpretation (OPI).

VRI uses devices such as web cameras or videophones to provide sign language or spoken language interpreting services. VRI is an on-demand service that can be accessed quickly while also allowing for a high level of accuracy due to the extra ability of the interpreter pick up on non-verbal communication. 

Benefits of VRI include:

• Allows healthcare professionals to see their patients to gather more accurate info about their health
• Allows interpreters to read facial expression and body language, clarifying the speaker’s intent
• Provides access for deaf patients who communicate using ASL
• Builds trust with the health care provider through face-to-face interaction

Telephonic interpreting offers a cost-effective interpreting solution works well for interactions, such as telehealth phone appointments, that do not require non-verbal cues or visual contact with the interpreter.

Benefits of OPI include:

• Available to use with or without internet access
• Provides alternative for patients who are more comfortable using audio-only rather than being on camera

No matter which form of remote interpreting you choose, using a service whose interpreters are specially trained to interpret in the medical setting is important. Professional medical interpreters are experts in their languages as well as medical terminology and communication. 

SpokenHere’s ConnectNow remote interpretation platform allows you to connect with our HIPAA-compliant medical interpreters instantly over the phone, from your desktop, tablet, or even mobile device. Our on-demand remote interpreting services are available 24/7/365 in over 220 languages to help you provide better care to your LEP patients. Take our Language Needs Assessment to help you determine if your organization is truly meeting the needs of  LEP patients.

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Breaking down the terms of this legislation

This new law requires that all LEP patients be provided a qualified interpreter via a remote interpreting service or an on-site interpreter, but how is that defined? A Limited English Proficiency (LEP) person is someone with a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English and whose primary language for communication is not English. A qualified interpreter under this new law is someone who:

1. adheres to generally accepted interpreter ethics principles, including client confidentiality;
2. has demonstrated proficiency in speaking and understanding both spoken English and at least one other spoken language; and
3. is able to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressly, to and from such language(s) and English, using any necessary specialized vocabulary and phraseology.

What is different under Section 1557?

This regulation has set up stricter guidelines for interpreter training. Before Section 1557, interpreters who identified as “bilingual” were sufficient to be considered qualified. Now, a qualified interpreter must complete advanced training in English and at least one other language, and be educated in HIPAA provisions and confidentiality standards. Section 1557 now requires a qualified interpreter be provided for all on-site and remote appointments.

Is anyone prohibited from interpreting and are there exceptions?

An LEP patient’s child or any accompanying minor or adult family member or friend cannot be relied on as a qualified interpreter. A bilingual employee may be used if and only if he/she is formally trained and interpreting is included in that person’s job description.

There are two exceptions to this rule provided. The first is allowed when a medical emergency poses an imminent threat to the patient or public without an interpreter available. Another exception is allowed if an adult family member or friend is specifically requested to be included by the patient. 

What about providing written translations?

Section 1557 now also requires qualified medical translators to translate all written translations that will be provided to patients. Qualified translators complete advanced education, testing, and training programs similar to qualified interpreters.

Key Takeaway  

Whether providing care or other health services, providers are likely to meet patients at some point who do not speak English very well or at all. Hiring a professional language services company for translation and interpretation ensures that medical providers are better able to communicate with LEP patients and stay in compliance with federal law.

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Patient Advocate Case Manager

Patient advocates make initial contact with their clients during a hospital stay. A medical case manager patient advocate helps to coordinate the use of clinical resources available to the client. This work may include the scheduling of tests and medical procedures to minimize a patient’s hospital stay. A case manager evaluates the care that a patient received while in the hospital and helps the family arrange any necessary long-term care. Good communication is critical in this role and language barriers can create dangerous situations.

Insurance Carrier Case Manager

Workers’ compensation carriers hire medical case managers to handle claims in a manner that benefits both the injured person and the insurance carrier. As an employee of the insurance carrier, the medical case manager is not an advocate for the patient. The insurance medical case manager is responsible for ensuring the patient gets the best possible care. It is up to the worker whether or not the case manager attends doctor appointments. For the protection of both the insurance carrier and the injured worker, verbal and written communication are important in this role so language barriers can grind the whole process to a halt.

Translating a Medical Document Can Be Challenging

For medical case managers, medical translation and interpretation can make or break the role. Medical translators are uniquely prepared to support medical case managers. They have the relevant education, training and work experience to translate patient and care related documents accurately and effectively. SpokenHere provides HIPAA compliant medical translation services, which are often needed in medical case management.

Types of Medical Documents We Translate

Interpreting for Medical Case Management

No matter where you provide medical services, accurate communication across all languages is important to keep business running and patients happy. Professional medical interpreters are experts in their languages as well as medical terminology and communication.

SpokenHere offers over the phone interpretation services to make this even easier for you. Connecting with our interpreters instantly over the phone, from your desktop, tablet, or even mobile device, which can save a lot of money versus having to hire an in-person interpreter.

Medical Translation and Medical Interpretation is commonly used for:

• Biomedical Technology Companies
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Medical Devices Companies
• Clinical Research Organizations

Medical case management is important for providing the best possible care and outcomes for patients. It is especially important for patients who are disabled or have long-term health issues. Hiring a professional language services company for translation and interpretation ensures that medical case managers are better able to communicate with doctors and patients with limited English proficiency.

Contact Us if you have questions or need a quote.

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Enter Title VI and Executive Order 13166

This Executive Order, signed by President Bill Clinton in August 2000, requires federal government agencies to improve access to government services for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). As challenging as it is for those on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder to find affordable housing, it is very nearly impossible for LEPs.

Many immigrants coming to the United States in search of a better life are fleeing political, military and economic turmoil in their home countries. Such immigrants tend to speak less English than those who may come to America for higher education or professional work opportunities. For them, being able to communicate in their native language on important transactions, such as a residential lease, can make all the difference between failure and success.

By requiring housing authorities to develop a process for providing language services to LEPs, the federal government, on the one hand, made it easier for immigrants to get the services they need, but it also placed additional bureaucratic requirements on the housing authority itself.

While some housing authorities may have people on staff who speak some of the more common languages, such as Spanish or Vietnamese, many immigrants nowadays are coming from smaller or less well-known countries, such as Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and others. Covering these language needs with staff members is more difficult. Moreover, the directive actually discourages housing authorities from allowing family members, children and friends of their clients to act as interpreters because “it is difficult to ensure that they interpret accurately and lack ethical conflicts”.

Professional Language Service Providers

Many housing authorities are now contracting with a professional language service provider (LSP) to meet the needs of their clients and stay in compliance with federal law. Having a reliable language partner to assist them with their clients removes the burden of finding qualified individuals in a timely fashion and helps ensure that information is communicated accurately.

Many LSPs offer their services for both translation (written) and interpreting (oral) needs. Online client portals such as Compass make it easy for the requesting housing authority to have documents translated quickly and professionally. For oral conversations between staff and immigrants, telephonic interpretation (also known as over-the-phone interpreting or OPI) is a cost-effective and very reliable solution.

Key Takeaway

Immigrants face enough challenges in a new country, often with few relatives or opportunities, and with limited resources. Securing a place to live is the first step on their path to making the transition to their new life a success. With a federal government mandate and ample professional providers willing to assist housing authorities overcome the language barriers, there is no reason why they cannot achieve their own American dream.

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Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t rent to families that have limited English proficiency—you just have to put in a little extra work to make sure everything is clear and accessible to all your new residents. Translating your tenant lease from English into the languages of your potential clients is a great way to help prevent common misunderstandings that could arise from poor communication. But why go through the trouble?

You’ll Attract More Applicants

If you offer the lease and other documentation in languages other than English, you will be able to attract new tenants from a larger pool of candidates. By increasing your reach, you also increase the chances that you will find more quality tenants that will become long-term residents and treat your property and other tenants respectfully.

Potential New Residents Will Feel More Confident and at Ease

Finding good tenants can be a challenge. Why put up more barriers for them? Translating your lease will make conscientious tenants more likely to choose your property, since they will know exactly what they are agreeing to from the very beginning. They will feel more confident in their decision to rent from you, and will begin to build the foundations of trust right away.

Tenants Will Understand the Rules

Most tenants try to follow the rules as much as possible. But what if they don’t understand the rules? Ensuring that everyone is on the same page about the terms of the rental agreement is key. It becomes a bad situation for everyone when a rule is broken because your tenant was not aware of or did not understand what they agreed to.

Residents Will Feel Welcome

While not providing a translated lease won’t necessarily make non-English speaking residents feel unwelcome, they will likely feel more welcome if you do invest in a good translation. You will show that you care about making sure everyone feels comfortable and that you prioritize communication and accessibility.

Tenants Will Be Aware of Their Rights

It’s not just about making sure tenants know what’s expected of them—the lease also ensures that tenants know what their rights are. Your maintenance policies and protocols, availability, and other key information should be outlined in residents’ information—in their own language. Mutual respect will help ensure a good relationship, and that starts with understanding one another.

A Translated Lease Sets Expectations

Above all, a translated lease sets expectations so that no one is left with questions about how the property is run. Starting off with good communication helps to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to property damage, hard feelings, and termination of the lease for a preventable reason. Retaining good tenants is hard enough—start off on the right foot by providing translations of essential documents.

A Quality Translation

A lease is a complex legal document that can’t just be translated by a bilingual friend or family member. It’s a technical document that requires the skill and knowledge of a translator who has in-depth experience with legal jargon and understands the function of language in legal protections for both the property owner and the renter.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to work with a professional translation company that can ensure a high-quality translation that will meet you and your residents’ needs, while serving as an official legal document.

Ready to discuss your lease’s translation? Contact us for a free consultation.

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Spanish phrase: En boca cerrada, no entran moscas

Literal English Translation: Flies don’t enter a closed mouth.

Meaning: It is best to keep your mouth shut rather than risk saying something foolish or incorrect. In English, we have many phrases that mean the same thing such as “silence is golden” and “loose lips sink ships.”

Spanish Phrase: Qué onda?

Literal English Translation: What wave?

Meaning: Slang for “what’s up?” or “what’s going on?” An answer to this or a similar question could also be, “buena onda” which means “good wave.”

Spanish Phrase: Entre broma y broma la verdad se asoma

Literal English Translation: Between jokes and jokes, the truth lurks.

Meaning: The literal translation for this saying is pretty easy to decipher, but because it rhymes in its Spanish version, the true impact of its meaning gets lost in translation.

Spanish Phrase: Ya te cargo el payaso

Literal English Translation: The clown has already picked you up.

Meaning: You are most certainly doomed. The meaning behind this phrase has to do with bull riding in rodeos. The clowns in rodeos are there to distract the bull when the rider gets bucked off. Bull riders know that when they see the clown, the situation is serious.

Spanish Phrase: Me pica el bagre

Literal English Translation: The catfish is biting me.

Meaning: To be so hungry your stomach is hurting, as in with hunger pains.

Spanish Phrase: Las cuentas claras y el chocolate espeso

Literal English Translation: Keep your accounts clear and your chocolate thick.

Meaning: While chocolate should be thick and opaque, business matters should be clear and transparent.

Spanish Phrase: Más vale ser cabeza de ratón qu cola de león

Literal English Translation: It is better to be the head of a rat than the tail of a lion

Meaning: Better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in an ocean.

Spanish Phrase: Zapatero a tus zapatos

Literal English Translation: Shoemaker, to your shoes

Meaning: Stick with what you know.

Spanish Phrase: Le zumba el mango

Literal English Translation: He flings the mango

Meaning: An expression of frustration. Visualize someone being so exasperated that they toss their hands up in the air.

Do you have a Spanish translation project coming up? Don’t let your words get lost in translation – contact us for a free consultation today!

Contact Us

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Now, add in a component of where the customer does not speak English but needs to be serviced in the same manner as a customer who is fluent. The exasperation level rises even more because now, there is a barrier between the customer receiving help and the company being able to provide translations. To be a true customer-oriented business, you must adhere to the needs of your customers, especially when they call for various reasons. On top of that, your business needs to be able to provide services that meet the needs of speakers of other languages. Keeping these important aspects in mind will help improve your caller satisfaction and prevent them from feeling unserviced.

Why Caller Satisfaction Matters

Telecommunications is still one of the most popular ways that businesses and their customers connect with one another. Customers may call in to receive technical support, provide feedback or simply inquire about the company. This call and their experience can mean the difference between satisfaction and disappointment. It is the company’s job to ensure they always feel assisted and satisfied.

The customer should always be the number one priority for businesses. We all know that great customer service should be evident when helping customers over the phone. However, is your business meeting the needs of customers whose English is a second language? Have you ever tried going through the steps of your own automated systems to see how customers experience calls in your queue? Place yourself in the shoes of these language learners for a moment and see if your company is meeting the demand of their global need in the business world:

• Does your automated system give callers options in their targeted languages?
• Do you have a survey for them to access at the end of a call in their language?
• Is the technology that you use reliable and effective?
• Are your employees trained in providing great service to your customers, regardless of the language barriers?
• Do you have an experienced language translation service working with you to ensure you are always up to date with global needs and target languages?

If these are concepts that you have never thought of, your business is definitely falling behind in the world of caller satisfaction. Every company should evaluate the systems they have in place and determine if they possess all the components of servicing all customers from all backgrounds. Your service should be centered around the customer experience. Their experience should be personalized and catered to fit their language needs. Once this barrier is broken, they may truly receive the services they deserve. Accessibility to these services should not be difficult. Customers should be able to feel confident when they make a call to your service center to receive assistance; they should not feel neglected or frustrated because there are no services available in their languages. Once a customer knows you have taken the initiative to give them options like these, they will likely continue to do business with you and leave conversations feeling empowered and served.

Make Your Business Better

Now that you have seen the gaps that many businesses have in their calling systems, you want to incorporate these as soon as possible to improve your caller satisfaction. You want systems in place to prevent conflicts with your customers and their access to your company. In order to do this, you will need to expertise and quality work of a professional language translation service. They have all the effective tools and software that will help you bring your business to the level it needs to be in high caller satisfaction. They also have the resources to help train your employees with accurate and efficient education so that they may better provide for your customer needs.

Is your business in need of improving caller satisfaction? We can help you with enhancing your caller experience through our effective language translation services.

Contact Us

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Imagine if you were in a foreign country where you did not know the language, and you needed medical treatment. All of the consent forms given to you are incomprehensible, and there has been no effort put into translating these medical documents. Now imagine if after signing everything in order to get urgent and swift care, you later discover that you had agreed to an amputation – unknowingly of course – for a simple infection when what you really needed were antibiotics. You had not been able to communicate effectively about your needs due to the language barrier. The medical professionals were likewise unable to ascertain what was really going on without your vitally important self-description.

While this specific scenario is not real, versions of this play out in real life on a regular basis.

Without medical document translation and remote interpreters on hand in healthcare settings, language barriers between medical professionals and patients can have consequences ranging from minor mistakes to catastrophic tragedies depending upon the severity of the situation.

90% of healthcare providers did not use competent interpreters

The University of California: Berkeley conducted a study that revealed that among a set of malpractice claims in which language barriers had a direct or indirect impact on the patient’s health outcome, 90 percent of health care providers did not use competent interpreters.

From patient information intake forms to instructions regarding medication dosing, a wide variety of documents are used in medicine, and all of these documents need to be accurate and easily accessible to those who need them. Translating your medical documents and forms poses numerous challenges, but when done well, it can help you better connect with your limited English proficiency (LEP) patients and improve their medical outcomes.

Typical Challenges in Medical Document Translation

Translating medical documents poses a unique set of challenges because of the often technical and sensitive nature of the information included. Because of this, it is critical that your translations are accurate, which needs to be accounted for in multiple areas.

Terminology

Medicine is a very specialized field. Medical terms used in documents must be carefully considered when translating, so they won’t confuse or mislead the reader. It is also important that each document’s specific purpose and audience be considered when translating a medical document to ensure the intended audience will understand the terms and abbreviations used. A professional translation service vets their medical translators to ensure that they are knowledgeable of medical terminology and practices in addition to being experienced translators in the target language.

Dialects / Localization

One word in English could translate into several different terms in another language, and not all words in English have a perfect match in a foreign language. This challenge is compounded when there are different dialects between regions of the same country, and sometimes even between cities and towns in a specific region.
A professional medical document translation service has experienced translators who know the nuances of the target language and locale and are then able to deliver the most accurate, localized translation possible.

Audience

Who is the intended audience of your document? Doctor, nurse, or patient? These questions are crucial, because depending upon who the original document is both from and intended for (doctor to doctor, doctor to patient, patient to nurse, etc.) determines how terms or phrases need to be worded. A professional translation service that vets their medical translators can ensure that they are providing translated medical documents that both meet the needs of the intended audience and convey the message in the most appropriate way for the situation.

6 Common Medical Documents Needing Translation

While this is by no means a complete list of medical documents that LEP patients might benefit from receiving in their native language, these are some of the most important to have professionally translated.

1. Patient Information Forms

Collecting your patients’ personal information is important if you need to be able to confirm their medical coverage, contact other providers, or get in touch with their next of kin. However, for your patients to complete forms accurately, they must be able to easily understand what is being asked, which is much easier in their native language.

2. Patient Instructions

Accurately translated medication instructions are critical to making sure LEP patients remember how to take the correct dose of their medications at the correct time.
It’s also important that patients know exactly what to expect after a procedure and clearly understand what they need to do afterwards to help promote a successful outcome. Providing discharge instructions in multiple languages may also be needed when a patient is referred to home health services, as is common for senior LEP patients. Home healthcare nurses can provide better care if they have access to discharge and medication instructions in both the nurse’s and patient’s native languages.

3. Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Explaining a patient’s rights not only educates and reassures, but helps to keep your clinic or practice free from potential liability. As the United States has become increasingly diverse, the government has created legislation requiring language access for any institution that receives federal funding, even partially or indirectly.

4. Medical History Forms

These questionnaires are important for equipping a patient’s medical team with the essential information they need to make well-informed, accurate diagnoses and to plan appropriate treatments. If these have information that isn’t properly translated – such as allergies or current medication – there could be serious consequences, so it’s vital to use professional medical translators to ensure accuracy.

5. Consent Forms

Consent forms and medical waivers are some of the most important documents used when practicing medicine. Any medical treatment or procedure comes with benefits and potential risks, and it is critical that your patients are able to understand completely and agree to them.

6. Financial Responsibility Forms

It’s very important that your LEP patients clearly understand the details about the costs, insurance coverage, and eligibility of their medical care options, so that they can make informed decisions about their care. Otherwise, they may be unknowingly saddled with a bill that they were not prepared to pay.

Learn more about how SpokenHere has served Axiom Medical

Choosing the Right Partner for your Medical Document Translation Needs

An important part of providing the highest level of care for your patients includes translating medical documents and patient forms. It doesn’t have to be a difficult process. Using professional medical translators for your practice’s documents ensures you are communicating effectively with your patients, which, in turn, builds trust and improves patient outcomes.

SpokenHere’s team of professional medical translators provide services to fit all of your medical document translation needs–from basic protocols to pharmaceutical needs and more. Since medical documents are private (HIPAA required), it is important for the translation partner you choose to keep a professional attitude. This is something SpokenHere’s team provides along with sincere empathy for any healthcare related situation. We can also partner with you to establish a medical interpretation program to help you provide the best care possible to your patients.

Contact us today for a consultation.

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The Importance of Serving All Populations

More and more often you see large chains like McDonald’s or Starbucks targeting our diverse population. These companies understand that in order to continue to be successful they have to address the multicultural consumers in our country that are not native English speakers. According to The Atlantic “the US Latino market is worth $1.3 trillion...”  They also reported “… today’s fastest growing ethnic consumer group is Asian Americans.”  Their buying power is expected to grow to $1.1 trillion by 2020! With numbers like those, many businesses are realizing the necessity to address the communication and cultural differences so they can capitalize on it. They are asking their consumers what they want to see and they are delivering! They are providing signage, support, multicultural products and many have multiple language options for customers on their website as well.  It’s simple, people feel more comfortable making a purchase utilizing their native tongue regardless of the price. Providing the resources these consumers need and want to make an educated decision are why these companies are continuing to blow others out of the business market.

Although most smart business owners understand that they too should target the multicultural consumers, not many truly dive deep into providing meaningful resources for these individuals. However, they may want to rethink that strategy. The importance of catering to the multicultural demographics in the US market is key to the success and sustainability of any product/company today. Translation of packaging, signage and label instructions should all be considered  when targeting particular languages. In addition businesses need to ask:

• What happens when the consumer gets home with our product?
• Are we providing appropriate support via instructions for them to utilize/consume our product?
• Are we providing necessary warnings for them to understand any dangers?
• Are we providing tips, recipes and other helpful information to these consumers?
• Are we offering phone and/or email channels to support their questions/needs?
• Are we offering appropriate forms/surveys to receive feedback?

All of these services should be available in order to service the growing populations of people with an increasing amount of buying power that tend to get left behind. According to the The American Progress, there are approximately 43 million immigrants living in the United States. The number of non native English speakers has quadrupled since 1965.  They are the ones who make up the dynamics of this country’s economy. They are the ones you need to target as a business in today’s marketplace.

Multicultural consumers are more than willing to give their money and loyalty to businesses that are willing to invest in them and their needs. These consumers trust you and your product when you care enough to provide the proper resources they need to be educated consumers.

Where Do You Go From Here?

A professional translation service can assist you with all of your needs to be successful in your efforts to target the ever growing population of multicultural consumers. An experienced translation provider will be able to offer you accurate and effective translations while taking cultural differences into account so that nothing is offensive. In addition, they will have a solution for all of your needs whether they are written or spoken, available in multiple languages by experienced native speakers of your target languages. Combine these tools with great customer service and you can guarantee that you will reach and earn your target audience!

Call us at (281) 607- 2505 for a free consultation today. See how we can help you expand your client base by targeting multicultural consumers!

The post Are You Penetrating The $3 Trillion Multicultural US Market? appeared first on SpokenHere Language Services.

Diversity is growing in both rural and urban areas in the United States, and there are more immigrants living in the United States than ever before. Recent research by Pew indicates that almost 14% of the population is foreign-born—and many of these residents have Limited English Proficiency (LEP), speaking little or no English. While many large, urban hospitals have the resources to communicate with patients in their native languages, smaller clinics are often left struggling to connect with LEP patients.

Connection & Trust Reduces Costs for Patients

Ideally, health issues would be solved in one appointment. Unfortunately, when there is a language barrier, these visits can be unproductive and often fail to solve the problem the patient is experiencing. This leads to more follow up visits and higher costs for patients and insurance providers. Additionally, patients whose health concerns are not fully addressed due to lack of communication may end up in the emergency room if symptoms worsen.

Trust May Reduce Lawsuits

Trust does more than compel patients to follow provider instructions and improve care. It can also play a small role in preventing malpractice lawsuits. In a survey of 700 patients who were affected by medical errors, those who trusted their doctors were less likely to pursue legal action against their provider and healthcare organization. Legal action is the worst-case scenario for all parties involved, and anything that can help reduce lawsuits can help organizations maintain financial strength and reputation.

ACA Requirements for Translation Services

According to the Affordable Care Act requirements, patients are entitled to language services—meaning that interpretation and translated written materials must be provided for common languages. This is to help ensure that all US residents get equal access to care and communication from their healthcare providers. To many clinics and hospitals, this requirement might seem costly, but there are some incredible, low-cost options for ensuring proper communications with patients.

Implementing Translation Services

Telephonic interpretation is a perfect solution for rural clinics or smaller hospitals with a smaller influx of LEP patients. Instead of paying someone to work onsite to interpret communications between staff and patients, providers can simply dial into an interpretation service, only paying for the minutes that are being used. This is an on-demand, 24 hour service that connects trained medical interpreters to healthcare professionals when they need it.

For written materials, it’s best to work with a language service to ensure the most important documents are accurately translating. Connecting with patients requires a multilevel communication approach, and having literature available in the most common languages will help patients understand their care options better and build trust with your organization.

Improving Care

In the end, it’s all about improving care for all patients, whether they speak Spanish, Mandarin, or English. By implementing a translation solution into your practice, you can more effectively communicate with patients, from scheduling to follow up. Patients who trust their doctors usually receive better care—and in turn, lead healthier lives. Build that trust with simple tools like translation services to improve patient care for all.

Want to learn more about translation solutions for your clinic or hospital?

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