|
The Medical Tongue: U.S. Laws And Policies On Language Access
Mara K. Youdelman
For twenty-three million Americans who speak English less than "very well," language barriers lead to lower quality of and worse access to health care. Although the breadth of existing federal and state language access laws might seem sufficient, the lack of comprehensive implementation and enforcement leaves millions of patients with limited English proficiency forced to accept a lower quality of care than English speakers receive. This paper reviews existing laws and offers solutions focusing on five themes: access, funding, education, quality improvement, and accountability. Improving language access is essential to ensure that the language one speaks does not affect ones health or mortality.

What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. S. Coren, F. A. Filipetto, and L. B. Weiss
Eliminating Barriers for Patients With Limited English Proficiency
J Am Osteopath Assoc,
December 1, 2009;
109(12):
634 - 640.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. Schenker, B. Lo, K. M. Ettinger, and A. Fernandez
Navigating Language Barriers under Difficult Circumstances
Ann Intern Med,
August 19, 2008;
149(4):
264 - 269.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. D. Smedley
Moving Beyond Access: Achieving Equity In State Health Care Reform
Health Aff.,
March 1, 2008;
27(2):
447 - 455.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|