Medical errors account for 9.5% of all deaths in the US each year, making medical malpractice the third most common cause of death in the country. Many studies show that patients with limited-English proficiency (LEP) are more likely to experience communication barriers, which often cause extended hospitalization, misdiagnosis, and readmission. Protecting LEP patients from medical errors (and safeguarding your organization and physicians from preventable medical malpractice or negligence claims) starts with high-quality language services.
Here’s how you can enhance your language access plan to improve LEP patient safety and avoid medical malpractice:
Poor communication between healthcare providers and patients increases the probability of medical errors. Interpretation helps your team bridge the language gap and improve communication, but you can’t rely on just anyone who speaks the target language.
Trusting the LEP patient’s family members or nearby Good Samaritans who claim to speak the language to interpret for your patient introduces many potential issues:
Proving your employees can act as qualified interpreters is essential for meeting Section 1557 requirements and related Joint Commission assessment standards.
bilingual staff members are qualified?
CyraCom offers assessments
in over 45 languages.
When evaluating providers, consider how they define “qualified interpreters” and their overall approach to delivering high-quality language services:
In addition to interpreting spoken language, translating written information can help LEP patients understand their care before, during, and after treatment. Here are a few ways you can use translated materials to improve your LEP patients’ safety and experience:
Translating consent forms into your LEP patient’s primary language helps them understand procedures and any risks they may encounter.
Allowing patients to take information home and read it on their own time in their primary language empowers them to play a more active role in their health journey.
LEP patients are four times more likely to misunderstand medication labels or have a bad reaction to medication. If you provide take-home medication or medical devices, translating instructions helps protect LEP patients from misuse.
translation to improve patient experiences?
Read the UK HealthCare Case Study
Contact CyraCom for a complimentary language services consultation: getstarted@cyracom.com