Every day, millions of limited English proficient (LEP) patients face the challenge of navigating healthcare in a language they aren’t completely comfortable in. The result? LEP patients have higher treatment costs, avoidable retreatment and readmissions, and most important, poorer outcomes than patients who speak English fluently.
A well-crafted language access plan can change this. By giving patients the opportunity to communicate in their preferred language, healthcare teams can deliver better care and meaningful improvements for everyone.
In this post, we’ll explore five practical ways your language access plan can address these challenges and improve health outcomes for patients who might otherwise struggle to get the care they need.
1. Reduce the chance of misdiagnosis and medical errors
Errors in healthcare often begin with a simple misunderstanding. For limited English proficient (LEP) patients, those misunderstandings can snowball into misdiagnoses, missed symptoms, and inappropriate treatments. In fact, 59% of serious medical errors are linked to communication problems between patients and providers. And for LEP patients, these events are more likely to cause harm, even serious harm, when compared to similar events for English-speaking patients.
To prevent these mistakes, LEP patients need immediate access to professional, medically-trained interpreters at every step of care—whether in-person, over-the-phone, or through video remote interpreting (VRI). With a mature language access plan, everyone in your organization will be able to provide this access quickly and efficiently.
But keep in mind that not just any bilingual person can act as an interpreter, and in medical situations, not just any interpreter will do. Trained medical interpreters bring more than language expertise: they understand medical terminology, cultural context, and patient needs, so they can communicate these critical details accurately.
Professional medical interpreters cut the rate of interpretation errors in half. With professional support, healthcare teams can prevent errors before they happen and protect patient safety every step of the way.
2. Improve patient compliance with care plans
The importance of communication doesn’t stop with a diagnosis. When patients don’t fully understand instructions, medication labels, and chronic disease management plans, they don’t have the tools to comply with their provider’s instructions.
The results often include missed follow-ups, medication errors, and poorer outcomes. Studies show that LEP patients are three to four times more likely to have trouble understanding their prescription labels than patients without LEP.
A strong language access plan (LAP) can change this by making sure that all care instructions—discharge notes, chronic disease plans, or medication details—are translated into the patient’s preferred language.
Interpretation also comes into play here, providing support when doctors speak with patients about their care. Trained medical interpreters accurately relay the patient’s explanation so providers can identify and clarify any misunderstandings.
Beyond the clinic, multilingual follow-up systems—like appointment reminders or live follow-up calls—help patients stay on track.
The bottom line is that when patients understand their care, they’re more likely to follow through. A thoughtful approach to language access empowers patients, improves adherence, and delivers better outcomes—one conversation at a time.
3. Improve use of preventative care programs
Preventative care saves lives, but many limited English proficient (LEP) patients miss out simply because they don’t have access to clear, culturally relevant information. Whether it’s routine screenings, vaccines, or early detection programs, the message often gets lost (or is never found at all) when materials aren’t available in the patient’s preferred language.
Start by translating educational materials and making trained interpreters available for discussions about preventative care options. But language alone isn’t enough—campaigns such as those for vaccines need to be culturally adapted to connect with patients from different backgrounds in meaningful ways. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t build trust or engagement.
For example, information on nutrition will be more effective if it focuses on foods that are both nutritionally and culturally appropriate. If the dietary instructions mention foods that are totally foreign or forbidden to a patient, they are less likely to follow recommendations, even if their health depends on it.
When patients understand the value of routine care—and trust the system offering it—they’re more likely to take action. Thoughtful outreach leads to healthier communities, one conversation at a time.
4. Help patients navigate insurance coverage and benefits
Understanding insurance coverage can be overwhelming for anyone, but for limited-English proficient (LEP) patients, it can feel nearly impossible. Adults with LEP are more than three times more likely to be uninsured compared to native English speakers. Confusion around eligibility, benefits, and financial assistance often leads to delays in care—and health problems that aren’t addressed promptly are harder to treat.
To address this challenge, providers and insurers alike should make interpreters available for critical conversations like enrollment and financial counseling sessions. Additionally, providing translated forms, FAQs, and eligibility criteria gives patients clear, accessible information they can refer to at any time.
5. Foster patient retention and continuity of care
Language barriers often result in fragmented care, where patients miss follow-up appointments, delay treatment, or fail to build long-term relationships with providers. This lack of continuity can harm long-term health outcomes for limited English proficient (LEP) patients.
A well-designed language access plan can help with patient retention and consistency of care. When patients feel understood and supported, they’re more likely to come back.
Ongoing communication is critical. Implement multilingual outreach—like follow-up calls, appointment reminders, and wellness check-ins—to encourage patients to stay engaged with their care.
You can go beyond interpretation and translation support by localizing patient portals so that LEP patients can schedule appointments, view lab results, and communicate with providers in their preferred language.
Finally, track retention rates among LEP patients to identify gaps and adjust strategies where needed.
What you need to include in your language access plan
A thoughtfully designed language access plan creates clarity, consistency, and accountability. Here’s what to include:
● Community needs assessment: Identify the primary languages spoken in your community to determine which services are most needed.
● Communication touchpoints: List all the points where patients interact with your team, such as intake, appointments, discharge, and financial counseling.
● Language services provided: Define the services offered, such as on-demand interpretation (in-person, phone, or video) and document translation.
● Process: Outline how language services will be accessed, including workflows for scheduling interpreters or translating materials.
● Training: Specify who will be trained—staff, providers, and interpreters—and include topics like how to request language access, working with interpreters, and cultural sensitivity. Train staff to deliver culturally responsive care, showing empathy and understanding for patients’ diverse backgrounds.
● Resources: Identify service providers (internal teams or external vendors) and detail how to access or schedule their services.
● Roles and responsibilities: Clarify team roles to promote accountability at every touchpoint.
● Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Set measurable goals, such as interpreter response times, patient understanding, and satisfaction rates.
A clear, comprehensive plan turns language access into part of your organization’s culture, improving care for everyone. If your existing plan isn’t quite there yet, it’s time to level up. We’ve put together a free language access guide to help you get started.
Monitor, adapt, and optimize your plan
A language access plan is only as effective as its ability to adapt over time. Without regular assessment, even the best plans can become outdated or fall short of their goals.
● Track KPIs: Monitor key metrics like readmission rates, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction among limited-English proficient (LEP) groups.
● Gather feedback: Use input from patients, staff, and interpreters to identify gaps and refine processes.
● Stay informed: Keep an eye on demographic shifts in your community to anticipate new language needs and emerging health priorities.
Regular evaluation makes sure that your plan provides easy access to care and support in your patients and members preferred languages at every touchpoint.
Prioritizing language access to improve care
A mature language access plan is an investment in safer, more equitable healthcare. By reducing errors, improving communication, and fostering trust, organizations can deliver better outcomes for all patients and members.
Now is the time to evaluate your current plan. Focus on measurable improvements, address gaps, and partner with a language services provider to help implement it effectively. If you can support your LEP community with the right resources, everyone will see the benefits—better care, healthier members, and lower costs.
Working with a language service provider (LSP) is key to getting it right. Accurate, culturally appropriate translations build trust and remove unnecessary barriers and interpretation services can make sure medical conversations are clear. An LSP such as BIG Language Solutions can provide you with:
1. Assistance with language access planning.
2. Interpretation services such as over-the-phone interpretation (OPI) and video remote interpretation (VRI). BIG Language Solutions provides them in 300+ languages, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
3. Translation services for written and electronic information. BIG Language Solutions also provides translation services in 300+ languages
4. Transcreation services for content that needs significant cultural adaptation to be effective.
5. Services like BIG Language Solution’s LanguageExpress™, which offers fast translations for high-volume critical communications, including printing and mailing.
Ready to take the next step? Download our free language access guide for healthcare leaders to learn how to strengthen your language access plan and provide the level of care your patients deserve.
