Improving health communication for LEP patients: The Health Care Language Services Implementation Guide

According to census data, approximately one in four Americans speaks a language other than English at home. Given this growing statistic, it is imperative that organizations provide information in culturally and linguistically competent ways. The Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded the development of A Patient-Centered Guide to Implementing Language Access Services in Healthcare Organizations to assist healthcare organizations to implement effective LAS to limited English proficient (LEP) patients. The initial paper-based version of the Guide was developed with feedback from an expert panel, site visits, telephone interviews, and focus groups. As a result of this process, key factors related to LAS implementation were identified, including buy-in from employees, strategies for integration, staff education, funding and resource acquisition, leadership support, and an organizational culture that is open to change.

The Health Care Language Services Implementation Guide (HCLS-IG) was recently launched on the web as an interactive tool, available online 24-7 at no cost to users. The Guide is user-friendly and provides healthcare organizations with an accessible, comprehensive, and practical tool to assist in LAS planning, implementation, and evaluation. The process for carrying out each step for LAS implementation is explained in detail and supplemented with links to resources and tips on alternative methods. The Guide is patient-centered and targets audiences at different levels, including community health centers, clinics, hospitals, physician practices, mental health institutions, dental offices, long-term care facilities, and substance abuse treatment centers.