Four impactful ways your agency can meet the needs of patients with Limited English proficiency (LEP)

Ask many U.S doctors or medical providers, and they will tell you about the challenge of caring for people who speak little or no English. Patients need to be comfortable communicating with you about their symptoms, their level of pain and discomfort, and any concerns they may have. Additionally, patients deserve to understand their condition along with their legal rights and any medical directives they need to follow. These needs call for a little extra effort on the part of caregivers when their patient is not quite fluent in English.

As the population becomes more diverse, it’s critical for providers to adapt and keep up with the changing demographics of their community. Language should never be a barrier to quality, safety, or compassionate care. If your agency has the intent and the personnel to navigate multilingual care, you will not only improve patient outcomes while possibly achieving greater financial goals, but you will also stay compliant with regulations and gain a competitive edge.

In this home health care blog, we’ll explore four big ways your home health agency can meet the needs of patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).

1. Use Professional Translation Services

Many patients rely on close family members to act as their personal interpreters. This solution can work to some extent, but it’s not perfect. When the family interpreter is a child, they might be in school when a parent needs their help. In addition, you cannot be 100% certain that they are accurately conveying information.

For important conversations such as reviewing the care plan, discussing medication, or explaining patient rights, your agency must use a professional translation service or a qualified, adult interpreter. This isn’t just a best practice; it’s a legal mandate.

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act calls upon providers to:

“Take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access” and that each entity, as an initial step, assess the need to provide language assistance services to each individual with LEP and respond to that need by providing the appropriate language assistance services on a timely basis.”

That said, you might consider partnering with a third-party vendor such as Boostlingo, Jeenie, or ModSquad, that offers on-demand interpretation by phone or video. These services are available 24/7 in dozens of languages and can be used during home visits, telehealth appointments, or intake calls. Plan in advance to have these services available the moment they are needed. Don’t wait until a communication problem arises to figure it out.

2. Provide Multilingual Documentation

Your agency should ensure that written materials are accessible and understandable. These include consent forms, care instructions, medication lists, discharge summaries, and notices of patient rights.

Spanish is the second-most commonly spoken language in the USA, but simply translating your documents into Spanish is not enough. There are scores of other languages in the greater communities that span across the U.S, and you never know which language you might come across or when. Your agency should prioritize translating your most critical documents into the top languages spoken in your service area.

The smart bet is to do your research and find out what are the top six or seven languages (besides Spanish and English) spoken in your county. Don’t assume that pasting the text into Google Translator will suffice. Take the time to find someone fluent who can review the translation for accuracy and clarity. Fortunately, most reputable software platforms, and even some home health software systems should allow you to generate documents in multiple languages, or they come equipped with a good translator tool.  

Keep in mind that diverse cultures will value literacy differently, and a patient might not read your document even if it’s translated into that patient’s first language. That’s why it’s so important to include visual elements like diagrams and illustrations to help patients’ comprehension.

3. Recruit and Retain Bilingual Employees

Building strong homecare community partnerships, paired with hiring bilingual caregivers, nurses, and support staff, can make a major difference in delivering culturally responsive care. Patients often feel more at ease when they can speak to someone in their own language, especially when discussing sensitive health concerns. It also makes it easier to build trust and prevent misunderstandings.

To attract bilingual candidates, consider:

• Specify language requirements or preferences clearly in your job posting
• Offering higher pay for fluency in common languages
• Highlighting your agency’s commitment to serving diverse communities

Once bilingual employees are on board, make sure their language skills are used intentionally, not just to fill in when no interpreter is available, but as part of a thoughtful staffing strategy. Take care of your most diverse and multilingual staff members so that they are incentivized and motivated to stay loyal to your agency.

4. Invest in Cultural Competency Training

Even when communication is technically accurate, cultural misunderstandings can still get in the way of good care. For example, some patients may avoid eye contact as a sign of respect, delay asking questions, or prefer to use a natural or traditional remedy alongside their prescribed medications. Conversely, be aware that cultural difference may cause some patients to avoid talking about certain parts of their bodies or refuse to be served by a caregiver of the opposite sex. There are even cases where a patient may feel put off by a caregiver’s bedside manner. These behaviors are not calculated to annoy you. They emerge from a cultural context, and it’s your job to be alert to these differences and respect them.

The Takeaway

Your home health care agency can prepare your staff members by including cultural competency in your regular training programs. Good training helps team members understand how culture affects communication, decision-making, and perceptions of illness and care. It should also cover how to provide respectful, inclusive service without making assumptions.

Don’t just have a one-day diversity party and consider it done. Cultural training should be part of your ongoing staff development, especially as the agency’s patient population shifts over time.

Caring for people with limited English proficiency means building an environment where every patient feels safe, understood, and respected. By using professional translation services, offering multilingual documentation, hiring bilingual staff, and training for cultural competency, your home health agency will better serve your community and distinguish your team as the most trusted and knowledgeable care agency.

Related blogs:

1. The 10 step guide to growing your home health agency – White paper
2. Seven steps to starting a successful home health care agency – White paper
3. How to make your agency the expert on homecare
4. Five home health agency marketing strategies
5. Improving caregiver retention through nurse mentor programs