Useful Resources
Language Access: Key to Good Care
December 16, 2008
Communication between patients and health care providers is essential for the provision of proper care, but can be problematic for patients whose primary language is not English. Federal and state lawmakers have passed laws to ensure access to accurate medical interpretation services for non-English speakers with the goal of improving patient care and saving millions of dollars in misdiagnoses and wasted treatments. Updated March 2010
Resource Links
Guidance for Consumers
Resources on language access in California
Advocacy
Resources on language access from a public interest law firm dedicated to the improvement of health care for the working poor and unemployed
Public Policy
Federal resource on hospitals and effective communication
Information about federal protection against discrimination against limited English proficiency patients
Executive order mandating improved access to services for people with limited English proficiency
Federal standards on culturally and linguistically appropriate services
The first multidisciplinary organization to publish national standards of practice in medical interpreting, including ethics
Statistics, Trends and Research
April 2007 study by the National Health Law Program gives data about the frequency of physician interactions with patients of limited English proficiency
A cross-sectional study funded by the California Endowment on hospitals, language and culture
Understanding Language Access
Report from the National Conference of State Legislatures on how poor access to translation services affect health care quality and cost (PDF download)
