A complex health system can’t survive without care coordination. As the world continues to globalize, care coordination models have had to adjust in order to provide access to sufficient healthcare for members and patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). With all the challenges that complex health systems bring, the desire to provide equal access to healthcare has prompted organizations to take action.
Here are 5 reasons why you should not overlook bilingual care coordination:
#1: Time Conservation
Organizations without access to bilingual resources and translation services have a hard time maintaining compassionate care and accurate and culturally contextual healthcare services. This means the time that could be spent on quality care is spent trying to decipher the conversation and how to respond. With established bilingual care coordination in place, less time will be used to do all the interpreting and more time will be available to care for your LEP patient or member. By shifting from interpretation to bilingual care coordination, your organization could see up to 44% in cost savings in staffing and interpreting costs.
#2: Engage More Members
With proficient bilingual coordinated care, you can reach further and deeper into your patient and member base. This kind of care helps make healthcare more accessible to those with LEP. Additionally, by providing this advantage, members will be more inclined to build trust with an organization that meets their needs. Through that trust comes loyalty.
#3: Reduce Readmissions
Health systems are always at a risk for readmissions rates. However, bilingual care coordination has been proven to reduce these rates. Oftentimes, LEP patients and members make up a part of the population with low health literacy. In fact, individuals who are not health literate are 1.3 times more likely to be readmitted than those who are. Bilingual care helps close the gap between being health literate and health illiterate for LEP members and patients.
#4: Reduce Healthcare Costs Among High-Risk Patients and Members
High-risk members and patients are the most prone to high healthcare costs. Furthermore, high-risk individuals within LEP populations are even more vulnerable to high healthcare costs. This is because it can be difficult to communicate health needs before an emergency takes place. Incorporating bilingual care coordination can bring about an anticipated 2 million dollars in savings due to reduced hospital visits, hospitalization, and program benefits.
#5: Ensuring a Healthier Overall Population
When providing access to healthcare for LEP members and patients you will be working to ensure a healthier overall population. It is a reality that not everyone speaks the native language of a nation. However, this does not mean they are more or less entitled to compassionate and quality care. Bilingual care coordination plays a substantial role in health equity.
Everyone deserves equal access to healthcare and health services. Coordinated care delivered in the patient’s or member’s own language can improve time efficiency, increase patient and member retention and interaction, lower healthcare costs, and drive positive health outcomes. This is a win for both your organization and your patients and members.
To learn more about bilingual care coordination and how it might work for your organization, visit our bilingual care coordination landing page or contact us!
