How does language affect the LEP (Limited English Proficiency) patient healthcare experience?
Several studies of patients with language barriers who visited an urban hospital emergency department found these patients to be less satisfied with their care, less willing to return to that facility, and less likely to be given a follow-up appointment compared to those without language barriers. Others have found that non-English speakers are less likely to have a usual source of care13 or receive preventive care such as mammography and pap smear tests. From: The Access Project http://www.accessproject.org/adobe/what_a_difference_an_interpreter_can_make.pdf Some hospitals use family members or even janitors to translate, which brings up problems of expertise, embarrassment, incomplete translations, and interpretations that are adjusted for cultural mores. From: CyraCom “Increasing Diversity: Issues and Opportunities with Providing Health Care” June 2006 Many residents also agreed that cross-cultural issues often resulted in negative consequences including: Longer office visits (43%)
