The Patient Initiator Card is a laminated card for limited English proficient patients to use while they are at a health care facility. On one side is a place for the patient's name and the language that he/she speaks. On the opposite side are illustrations that your LEP patient can point to in order to initiate basic requests around their particular needs. These cards are to be given to patients and explained through an interpreter. The patient would be instructed to show the card to a hospital staff member if the patient needs something during their medical visit. These cards minimize the helpless feeling that many patients encounter during their medical visit.

The Patient Initiator Card, while simple in concept, provides a powerful tool to give patients some sense of control in an otherwise disempowering situation. The cost is $250 per 1,000 cards (plus $10 S&H).