Communicating with someone who speaks the same language as you can be hard enough. Adding a second one makes it even more complicated—especially in healthcare settings.
However, all patients deserve to receive care in a language they understand. So, where do doctors and other medical professionals come into play? To get you started, here are our top tips for addressing language barriers in health settings.
Language Barriers in Healthcare
In the United States, many individuals speak languages other than English. For some people, that means they have what’s known as “limited English proficiency” or LEP. In fact, a recent survey by KFF suggests that there are up to 26 million people in the US with LEP.
Although Spanish is most common, use varies by region and culture. Other languages you may hear in your practice include Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic. Regardless of their primary language, people with LEP often face barriers to quality healthcare. Several ways language can negatively impact care quality include:
- Delayed access to appropriate healthcare
- Difficult communication between the provider and patient
- Suboptimal care and patient dissatisfaction
- Challenges with treatment adherence or preventative care
Due to these issues, many people with LEP have worse outcomes than those with English as their primary language.
Why It Matters
With that in mind, communicating with someone in their preferred language is crucial to high-quality care. When health professionals use interpreters, translators or other tools to help their patients, it can:
- Make it easier for the person to navigate healthcare settings
- Improve patient-provider relationships
- Increase clinician and patient satisfaction
- Foster cultural competency and respect
- Allow patients to understand their condition or treatment plan better
- Help the individual feel comfortable during their visit
- Reduce the chance of clinical errors
- Allow professionals to better understand patient concerns and explain next steps
Additionally, the KFF survey further identified that people who saw doctors who spoke their language reported fewer barriers than those who did not.
Tips for Communicating With LEP Patients
Undoubtedly, there will be times when you must help patients who speak little or no English. It can help to have some background knowledge about what actions to take should the situation arise.
Strategies you can use the next time you encounter someone with limited English proficiency include:
Qualified Interpreters
Even if you know another language or Spanish for healthcare professionals, it’s still essential to use a qualified interpreter when possible. These individuals are trustworthy because they have studied how to interpret healthcare concepts into other languages.
The professional should be certified by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) to ensure accuracy and adherence to HIPAA regulations.
To give the interpreter time to prepare, share a summary of the topics you plan to cover during the appointment.
Translation Services
In some cases, you may not have enough time or resources to secure an on-site interpreter. Luckily, there are other solutions available to help bridge the gap between you and someone with low English proficiency.
For example, you could use a phone-based language service. Or, you can secure a video conference with an interpreter. While not as beneficial as in-person interpreting, both of these options can help enhance communication between you and the patient.
You should also provide any documents, pamphlets or other take-home materials in the person’s preferred language. Many resources are available in different languages, but sometimes, you may need to have them translated.
Medical Language and Health Equity Education
You or another person on your team may decide that learning medical Spanish or another language could be beneficial to your practice. Introductory courses can help you understand the basics, while certification from the NBCMI is more complex.
Another option could be health equity education, which can help you learn how to conduct patient histories or exams with non-English speakers. It may also include information about inequities, cultural sensitivity and working with interpreters.
Additional Things to Note
Other tips to keep in mind when working with people who have limited English proficiency include:
- Discuss the person’s language needs and preferences as early as possible
- Maintain eye contact with and address the patient, not the interpreter
- Speak at a reasonable pace and leave extra time for the interpreter
- Avoid using medical jargon
- Document the use of a medical interpreter in the patient’s record
- Provide extra time for these appointments since they will take longer
- Refrain from letting the person’s family or friends be the interpreter (unless requested)
- Confirm the patient’s comprehension by asking them to repeat it via the interpreter
With that said, due to budget or resource constraints and other limitations, you will likely encounter some challenges. However, taking steps to improve communication with patients in their preferred languages is the foundation for better care.
If you want to learn more about communication challenges and methods for enhancing your practice, continuing medical education (CME) can help. Browse in-person and online conferences to get started!