Bridging The Communication Gap

Professional Translation Services For The Healthcare Industry

There is no other country quite as diverse as the United States. Not only is it home to more immigrants than any other country on the planet, but within the US immigrant population, nearly every country in the world is represented.¹ And when it comes to language, 67 million residents speak a language other than English (LOTE) at home.² 

According to the Pew Research Center, although the portion of the immigrant population who speaks English very well has increased from 27% to 36% (from 1980 to 2017), the share of those who speak English at home has decreased by nearly 47% during the same time period. With such linguistic and cultural diversity, how does the federal government ensure that its limited-English proficient (LEP) population receives effective communication, especially when it comes to their healthcare and health coverage needs?

Section 1557

Recent studies have shown that by investing in quality language-access services, healthcare facilities stand to save money and improve patient outcomes.³ The federal government has also implemented several regulations to further encourage healthcare facilities and health insurance companies to invest in language-access services. One regulation in particular is Section 1557, the nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act.

Under this section, any healthcare facility, health insurance company, or community-based organization that receives Medicare, Medicaid, or “other” reimbursement from federal health programs must post taglines and notices of nondiscrimination that inform LEP patients of the availability of language-assistance services. These entities must further “take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to each individual with LEP.”⁴ 

Taglines and Notices of Nondiscrimination

Under the current law, written taglines must be translated into no less than the top 15 languages spoken by the LEP population of each respective state. These taglines (which are sent to patients, health insurance enrollees, beneficiaries, and/or members of the public), explain the nondiscrimination policies and notify recipients of the availability of free language-assistance services. 

Vital Documents

In order to remain legally compliant, healthcare facilities must also ensure that their LEP patients have access to “vital” documents in the language of their choice. When considering whether or not to classify a document as “vital”, these facilities must determine the seriousness of consequences to LEP patients should the information not be provided in their language.

For healthcare facilities, some of these documents may include consent forms, complaint forms, intake forms, letters outlining a patient’s rights, documents that must be provided by law, as well as discharge and post-surgery instructions. For health insurance companies, these documents may include applications, letters regarding insurance eligibility or benefits, as well as documents outlining the reduction, delay, limitation, denial, or termination of insurance benefits. 

Summary of Benefits Coverage and the Uniform Glossary

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), both insurers and employers are responsible for creating and distributing a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for full-insured plans, but for self-insured plans, only the employer is responsible for the SBC creation and distribution. SBCs disclose both benefit and coverage information such as what procedures are covered, information on cost-sharing provisions and exclusions, examples of coverage, as well as websites and telephone numbers for customer service. All SBCs written in the English language must also include information on the availability of written language services in the required languages. Further, should specific thresholds be met, a “group health plan or health insurance issuer must provide the SBC in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.”⁵

All health insurers are additionally responsible for providing a “Uniform Glossary” which helps to explain complicated or confusing terms associated with the health insurance provided. Should the insurance plan cover LEP individuals, the Uniform Glossary may need to be translated into the appropriate languages. 

Healthcare Translation Projects are in High Demand

The need to meet these federal and state language-access regulations has skyrocketed in recent years. Translating healthcare-related documents not only requires full medical regulatory compliance, but also quality control management. With an increased demand for technical precision, linguistic accuracy, and subject matter expertise, language service providers (LSPs) that take on healthcare translation projects must come to the table well equipped.

Healthcare translation is a highly specialized field and plays a particularly critical role in the US healthcare industry. Accurate and timely translations have been proven to help strengthen communication between healthcare professionals and LEP individuals, which in turn, helps to improve workflow and decrease errors. With such high demands, LSPs must be able to confidently handle large-scale and rush translation projects, offering not only a pool of seasoned and experienced linguists but additional professionals as well, who are fully acquainted with the unique needs of the industry within the United States.

LSPs that offer healthcare-related translation services should also be able to expertly translate all healthcare-related, patient-facing documents, from the Evidence of Coverage (EOC) and the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) documents, to explanations of benefits, types of coverage, instructions on filing a claim, and discharge and post-surgery instructions. But some LSPs go even further, offering not only translations from native speakers of the target language, but also desktop publishing (DTP), subject matter expert advice, and a range of services that go from mainstream translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to bilingual or monolingual review, and post-editing of machine translated texts. And when same-day turnaround time (TAT) is also added to the mix, these LSPs help healthcare organizations and health insurance companies save both time and money.

Strategic Partners in the Healthcare Field 

With over 15 years of professional translation experience coupled with successful, long-lasting partnerships with clients throughout the United States and a staff well-versed in US government regulations, delsurtranslations ensures your healthcare documents are federally compliant and strictly adhere to all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations.

With no rush overcharge and a customized approach to each client’s needs, including the implementation of preferred CAT tools, delsurtranslations is your one-stop shop for all of your healthcare-related translation projects. When it comes to the sensitive nature and intricate terminology within the healthcare field, place your trust in your strategic partners – delsurtranslations.

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REFERENCES

1  “Key Findings about U.S. Immigrants.” Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/17/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/.

2 “Almost Half Speak a Foreign Language in America’s Largest Cities.” CIS.org, https://cis.org/Report/Almost-Half-Speak-Foreign-Language-Americas-Largest-Cities.

3  Psqh. “Language Access: Meeting Patient Needs While Increasing Compliance and Improving Outcomes.” Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare, 20 May 2019, https://www.psqh.com/analysis/language-access-meeting-patient-needs-while-increasing-compliance-and-improving-outcomes/.

4  HHS Office of the Secretary,Office for Civil Rights, and Ocr. “Section 1557: Frequently Asked Questions.” HHS.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, 18 May 2017, https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/1557faqs/index.html.

5  “Summary of Benefits and Coverage and Uniform Glossary.” Federal Register, 30 Dec. 2014, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/12/30/2014-30243/summary-of-benefits-and-coverage-and-uniform-glossary.

Partner With Healthcare Language Services Providers

Because Sometimes You Just Can’t Do It Alone

America — A Multilingual Mosaic

America – the home of the brave, the land of the free, and a proud nation built by immigrants. For the past 243 years, the United States has continued to welcome people from every corner of the globe. Today, there are nearly 45 million US residents who were born in another country, accounting for just under 14 percent of the total US population.

U.S. Spanish-speaking and LEP Population

Today, more than 20% of the US-population speaks a language other than English (LOTE) at home, over 60% of whom are native Spanish speakers. In fact, by 2050, the US Census office predicts that the United States will be home to roughly 138 million Spanish speakers, which would make America the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. How cool is that? 

Although the vast majority of residents with limited English proficiency (LEP) lives in southern and coastal regions of the United States, the US-LOTE population spans the entire country.

So, how has the federal government responded to a growing linguistically-diverse population? 

Language Access Laws for the Healthcare Industry

Some of the newest regulations that readily come to mind include the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), Section 1557, and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Each of these regulations can result in either significant financial loss or gain in federal funding — the trick lies with language access. Healthcare facilities that provide patients with appropriate language access lessen the chances of monetary penalties and increase the likelihood of monetary rewards. 

With so much at stake, many healthcare providers are turning to LSPs to assist in ensuring they remain legally compliant.

Healthcare Language Services

Under federal protections, LEP patients have the right to receive qualified medical interpreting services at no charge. Medical interpreters offer their services in any one of three modalities, including in-person (IPI), over the phone (OTP), and via video remote technology (VRI). 

In addition to interpreting services, LEP patients also require the translation of their healthcare-related documentation. Due to the critically important nature of these documents, translation should only be handled by qualified professionals who are properly trained in medical terminology. When vital information is not translated in an effective, accurate, and timely fashion, a healthcare facility’s (or insurance company’s) reputation — not to mention a patient’s well-being— may be put at risk. 

When organizations work to bridge the language gap for their patients and place value on patient-provider communication, they improve outcomes for all. Not only has improved language access shown to lower the 30-day readmission rates, but it has also increased overall patient satisfaction. Insurance companies who invest in professional translation services also stand to win, as they are likely to increase their client base. 

Best Practices in Healthcare Translation – It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3! 

Choosing a translation partner to handle your clients’ healthcare documents can be a daunting task. Not only is it both difficult and time consuming to sift through the hundreds of translation companies on the market all claiming to offer the same services, but keeping apprised of government regulations and industry advancements takes a toll. 

In the United States, government policies related to healthcare change quickly, and healthcare-related documents need to be continuously updated to reflect these changes. Frequent advancements in medical and pharmaceutical treatments also require translation for a growing multilingual audience. How can single-language (SLVs) and multi-language vendors (MLVs) choose the right translation partner for their projects? Lucky for you, we’ve boiled it down to three key steps that companies can take to find their ideal translation partners. 

1. Industry Specialists

Look for translation companies with expertise in the healthcare field. Do they have experience with medical and pharmaceutical translation? Do they demonstrate in-depth knowledge of industry-specific terminology? Are they up-to-date with government regulations that affect the healthcare sector? Asking the right questions will help you to narrow down your choices.

2. Advanced Technology

Search for translation companies that use specialized translation software that enables accurate and efficient translation of multiple documents and has the capability of translating various types of documentation. It is also imperative that the technology is proven to offer the strictest standards in security and confidentiality as you are dealing with highly sensitive information. There is even translation technology that allows for translation memory and dynamic machine learning, among other features. Shop around to find an LSP that offers translation and other related services that suit your unique needs. 

3. Linguistic Expertise

For those of us in the language services industry, we understand that translation means a lot more than simply word-to-word correspondence. In fact, translation is as much an art form as it is a science, and translators who have an intimate understanding of both the source and target language’s culture, history, values, and norms will be in a much better position to offer accurate, culturally-relevant translations. 

When actively seeking out your next healthcare translation partner, don’t be afraid to ask these three essential questions:

1. Does the company offer native speakers in the target language/s?
2. Does the professional translation team offer additional services such as PMs and DTP?
3. Are there subject matter experts (SMEs) onboard?

Finding the Right Partner is Like Icing on the Cake

It’s that high season again in the United States — translation volumes for the healthcare industry skyrocket and the demands for quick turnaround times increase. MLVs and SLVs are once again on the hunt for translation partners that can seamlessly handle large volumes of work. Ideally, finding a partner that can handle translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP), as well as desktop publishing (DTP) and other language-related services would be a welcomed gift this time of year.

It is also important however, to find partners that have in-depth healthcare industry knowledge, advanced technology capabilities, and linguistic expertise. But that’s not all. Finding a company that also excels in the Spanish language (including all of its linguistic variations) would be the proverbial icing on the cake, and delsurtranslations might just be that icing — or should we say, “la cereza del pastel?”   

At delsurtranslations, you’ll find a dedicated team of translation professionals who not only offer all language and graphic design services, but who also offer a staff of native Spanish speakers well versed in the diverse linguistic variations of the Spanish language. delsur’s seasoned project management team handles high volumes of healthcare translation work even during the busy season, providing you with a one-stop shop for all of your healthcare translation needs. 

Give delsurtranslations a call today — they have you covered!

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1 Hispanics’ buying power in the U.S., 1990-2020. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/251438/hispanics-buying-power-in-the-us/

2 Burton, J. (2015, December 30). The Most Spoken Languages In America. Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-spoken-languages-in-america.html