Access to hospital interpreter services for limited English proficient patients in New Jersey: a statewide evaluation.

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVES: We surveyed New Jersey (NJ) hospitals to assess current language services and identify policy recommendations on meeting limited English proficiency (LEP) patients' needs. METHODS: Survey with 37 questions regarding hospital/patient features, interpreter services, and resources/policies needed to provide quality interpreter services. RESULTS: Sixty-seven hospitals responded (55% response rate). Most NJ hospitals have no interpreter services department, 80% provide no staff training on working with interpreters, 31% lack multilingual signs, and 19% offer no written translation services. Only 3% of hospitals have full-time interpreters, a ratio of 1 interpreter:240,748 LEP NJ residents. Most hospitals stated third-party reimbursement for interpreters would be beneficial, by reducing costs, adding interpreters, meeting population growth, and improving communication. CONCLUSIONS: Most NJ hospitals have no full-time interpreters, interpreter services department, or staff training on working with interpreters, and deficiencies exist in hospital signage and translation services. Most NJ hospitals stated third-party reimbursement for interpreter services would be beneficial.

The legal framework for language access in healthcare settings: Title VI and beyond.

Over the past few decades, the number and diversity of limited English speakers in the USA has burgeoned. With this increased diversity has come increased pressure--including new legal requirements--on healthcare systems and clinicians to ensure equal treatment of limited English speakers. Healthcare providers are often unclear about their legal obligations to provide language services. In this article, we describe the federal mandates for language rights in health care, provide a broad overview of existing state laws and describe recent legal developments in addressing language barriers. We conclude with an analysis of key policy initiatives that would substantively improve health care for LEP patients.

The medical tongue: U.S. laws and policies on language access.

For twenty-three million Americans who speak English less than "very well," language barriers lead to lower quality of and worse access to health care. Although the breadth of existing federal and state language access laws might seem sufficient, the lack of comprehensive implementation and enforcement leaves millions of patients with limited English proficiency forced to accept a lower quality of care than English speakers receive. This paper reviews existing laws and offers solutions focusing on five themes: access, funding, education, quality improvement, and accountability. Improving language access is essential to ensure that the language one speaks does not affect one's health or mortality.