Testing Bilingual Clinicians: An Important Part of Providing Comprehensive Language Services for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

摘要

The limited English proficient (LEP) population in theUnited States is large and growing. More than 60 millionpeople in the United States speak a language otherthan English at home, and more than 25 million speakEnglish “less than very well” and are considered LEP. 1Language access services are of critical importance in theEnglish-language-dominant US health care system, for patientsafety, accuracy of diagnosis, and treatment effectiveness.Rules and regulations governing the provision of theseservices have strengthened in recent years, with the AffordableCare Act and evolving state and federal requirements. 2The Joint Commission is paying increasing attention tohospitals’ policies and practices in this area and expects organizationsto have language access plans.