Over 55 million people in the U.S. speak a primary language other than English.
This language barrier is a serious challenge for our national health care system in caring for our growing, diverse communities.
Problems
Of those who speak another language, more than 26 million are considered
to be limited English-proficient (LEP) – those unable to effectively communicate in English.
This number is now almost double what it was in 1990. As the growing number of LEP patients enter
the health care system, language and cultural barriers are playing a larger role in communication mishaps
and harm to our patients.
Communication difficulties lead to delays in care, operational inefficiencies, over utilization of resources,
and increased length of stay. They create frustration for both staff and patients alike. Language barriers
prevent the LEP community from equal access to services and expose organizations to risk of litigation.
To address these problems, many organizations have implemented language service programs
using a combination of live on-site and remote interpreters to support language communication. However, even the
best programs still experience delays in service and gaps in communication are common. With the inability of
interpretation budgets to keep pace with the growing population, these gaps are only getting deeper.
Solutions
Polyglot Systems develops technology solutions that improve communication in health care. Our
products support clinical encounters, patient education and instruction, administrative
processes, and the management and dissemination of multi-language documents. Our
goal is to help our clients eliminate disparity of care while reducing the financial impact
associated with serving this population.