The Latino Community is the second-fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. Although statistics are changing quickly, many Latinos speak English less than very well, making them Limited English-Proficient (LEP). More specifically, 40% of the nearly 25 million LEPs identify as Latino/x.
The language barrier in healthcare widens the cultural gap for Latinos seeking better opportunities and quality of life in the U.S.
While the Latino and Hispanic communities are diverse, they face common challenges such as poor health outcomes and limited access to healthcare. Communication issues in healthcare settings exacerbate these problems and often lead to discrimination.
Specific issues include misspelled last names, which cause patient misidentification errors and delays; the lack of Spanish-language information sources; the absence of interpreters in hospitals; and a general shortage of Spanish language services. These factors contribute to feelings of discrimination and exclusion among LEP patients.
My Name is My Identity
Many in the Latino community face issues during patient registration due to confusion over their names. Most Latinos have two last names—one from their father and one from their mother. Although both last names are part of their legal name, the paternal last name is used most frequently.
Healthcare systems often overlook this cultural difference, leading to names being recorded inconsistently across facilities. This causes delays in medical attention and results in misidentification.
A 2015 study by BMC Health Services Research in North Carolina found that participants struggled with registering their two last names. Many healthcare facilities lack Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems that accommodate multiple last names, leading to hyphenated names or the use of just one last name.
This situation creates two main issues. First, patients struggle to locate their records and find appointments when only one last name is used. Second, Latinos encounter cultural challenges, such as adapting to rules that erase part of their identity, like determining which name their prescription is under at the pharmacy.
No Info & No Translation for the Latino Community
Navigating the U.S. healthcare system can be challenging for Latinos, even for simple tasks like checking in. This often makes them feel unwelcome.
Barriers to quality care include a lack of Spanish-speaking staff, poorly translated forms, and slow or unavailable certified healthcare interpreters.
In the BMC Health Services Research Journal, Calo et al. report that the absence of language services in front-office medical settings negatively affects Latinos. Often, when visiting a specialist, no staff members speak Spanish, leaving the patient unattended and causing them to miss their appointment. This problem is evident not only at the front office but throughout the entire healthcare system.
These issues lead to long waiting times, poor attention, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system. Consequently, health disparities for Latinos, particularly LEP patients, increase. However, a simple solution exists: offering comprehensive quality language services.
This involves adapting EHR systems to accommodate Latinos and other immigrants. It also includes training all staff on cultural awareness and how to work with interpreters. Additionally, providing translated documentation and increasing access to qualified medical interpreters at no cost to patients are essential steps.
Offering quality language services can be easy. If you want to get started with this process and learn about our Eight-step Language Service Implementation Plan, visit our website www.culturizingaccess.com and reach out to us at info@culturizingaccess.com.
You can also start the work by completing our LANGUAGE SERVICES STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLANNER.
