Summary:
Patients need to communicate clearly with their health care provider. But that’s getting more difficult for those in the U.S. who don’t speak English.
LISTEN : Federal law entitles patients to interpreters if they don’t have a strong grasp of English. KFF Health News correspondent Vanessa G. Sánchez appeared on WAMU’s “Health Hub” on July 9 to explain why some Trump administration policies are leaving patients fearful to ask for language services.
Patients need to communicate clearly with their health care provider. But that’s getting more difficult for those in the U.S. who don’t speak English.
Budget cuts by the Trump administration have left some providers scrambling to keep qualified medical interpreters. And an executive order designating English the official language of the United States has created confusion among providers about what services should be offered.
Patients who don’t speak English are left afraid, and perhaps at risk for medical mistakes. What happens when those who need help are too frightened to ask?
In WAMU’s July 9 “Health Hub” segment, KFF Health News correspondent Vanessa G. Sánchez explained why health advocates worry these changes could lead to worse patient outcomes.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
Subscribe to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.
This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Topics
Critical Appraisal Skills
Communication Strategies
Environmental Influences
Related
From Clinician To C-Suite: When Expertise Isn’t Enough — Addressing Systemic Barriers to Physician Leader SuccessThe World Wants Physician Leaders and It Needs Leadership Development OpportunitiesImproving Accuracy in HCC Coding Through Clinician EngagementRecommended Reading
Strategy and Innovation
From Clinician To C-Suite: When Expertise Isn’t Enough — Addressing Systemic Barriers to Physician Leader Success
Strategy and Innovation
The World Wants Physician Leaders and It Needs Leadership Development Opportunities
Problem Solving
The Ultimate Clinical Dyad: The Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer in Partnership
Operations and Policy
Disruptive Physician Behavior as a Leadership, Governance, and Patient Safety Challenge
Operations and Policy
Model the Transformation You Expect Employees to Deliver