How To Ensure that Medical Teams Can Access Interpreters in Rare Languages

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By Kristin Quinlan

The population of people with limited English proficiency (LEP) in the U.S. has roughly tripled since 1980. A constantly shifting population enriched with communities of immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants has created an unprecedented need for qualified interpreters who speak a broad range of languages. While requests for Spanish-speaking interpreters consistently dominate, demand for the 350+ other languages spoken in the U.S. is ever-changing, with rare and indigenous languages showing the largest growth.

When it comes to something as important as healthcare, patients need to communicate in their preferred language—even if that language is only spoken by a small number of people in the U.S. Effective communication is intrinsically linked to quality healthcare; patients with limited English proficiency face significant barriers that reduce access to care and lead to poorer health outcomes, reducing satisfaction and trust.

Failing to provide interpreters to patients who speak rare or indigenous languages can worsen health disparities, particularly for populations such as refugees and asylum-seekers. This only compounds the barriers many already face when accessing healthcare.

The growing need for rare language interpreters

The influx of refugees and migrants from various regions has significantly increased demand for interpreters of rare languages. In fact, refugee trends show the biggest spikes in some unexpected languages, such as regional dialects spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Organizations that receive federal funding are required to provide language services to patients with limited English proficiency, but this requirement is often unfunded, leaving healthcare organizations to cover the cost entirely. Policymakers need to recognize the critical role language access plays in delivering equitable healthcare and take steps to ensure that providers have the resources they need to meet these requirements. Recognizing interpreters as the professionals they are, rather than gig workers, will also go a long way in supporting language access services designed to improve healthcare for all.

Ensuring access to rare language interpreters

Because of the wide range of languages spoken by patients, healthcare organizations will partner with a language service provider (LSP). LSPs help identify languages and provide remote interpreters on demand. This capability is important because language demand can spike without warning. However, not all LSPs are created equal when it comes to supporting rare languages. Here’s how to ensure that your organization is positioned for success.

  • Understand the languages your patients speak: Understanding the language needs of your patient population is a prerequisite for effective communication; doing so involves not only tracking the languages spoken by existing patients but also anticipating potential shifts in demand. Ask your LSP if they track trends and what trends they’re seeing; their answers will give you a good read on whether they’re paying attention to what’s going on regionally and whether they’re proactive in sourcing interpreters as demand for a rare language increases.
  • Ensure that your LSP is equipped to handle rare languages: Rather than asking your partner whether a specific language is available, ask a broad question like “What languages from this region do you cover?” or “What other indigenous languages do you have access to?” This allows your partner to showcase their language breadth. But know it’s not enough to simply have access to interpreters; you also need to ensure that your partner is able to quickly identify a language or dialect and provide the right interpreter.
  • Test your LSP’s capabilities: Conduct test calls in rare languages to assess the provider’s ability to deliver timely and accurate interpretation services. Any company that has confidence in their ability to provide interpreters for rare languages will give you a phone number to use for test calls. Ask for one and put their services to the test.
  • Analyze your LSP’s success rates: It’s important to measure and analyze your LSP’s success rates by language to make sure they can quickly connect with interpreters, day or night. This includes metrics such as the percentage of successful connections and the average connection time. Look for a success rate above 85%; this is a good benchmark that indicates the LSP can effectively meet your patient population’s needs.

As the linguistic makeup of the U.S. becomes increasingly diverse, the need for qualified interpreters in rare languages will only grow. The stakes couldn’t be higher in a profession where clear communication can be the difference between life and death. By tracking patient language needs and partnering with, testing, and analyzing the performance of their LSPs, healthcare systems can help ensure that language is never a barrier to quality care.

Kristin Quinlan joined Certified Languages International (CLI) in 1999, ascending to CEO in 2006. Under her leadership, CLI has become not just a provider of language services, but an advocate for the greater good of comprehensive language access. She served on the executive board of the Association of Language Companies (ALC) from 2010 to 2014 and later co-founded ALC’s Advocacy and Standards Committee, a coalition that delivers key legislative successes for the language services industry. Additionally, Kristin served on the board of directors for the Joint National Committee for Languages (raising public awareness about the vital enterprise), as well as the board of 7000 Languages (a nonprofit that invigorates endangered languages).