Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the rapid incorporation of telemedicine into healthcare systems, resulting in increased access challenges for patients in the United States with limited English proficiency (LEP). Non-English-language speakers face challenges with telemedicine that magnify pre-existing barriers to language-appropriate care, such as difficulty accessing professional medical interpreters and navigating both electronic health information and online patient portals. Improved medical education on telehealth would increase equitable care for linguistic minorities. Medical education targeting telehealth care delivery should include clinician instruction on working with interpreters in telehealth contexts, increasing patient access to telehealth resources, and addressing patients’ language needs for telemedicine.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting rise in use of telemedicine services have dramatically changed the delivery of medical care [1]
We explore challenges that telemedicine presents in education, the context of teaching healthcare professionals to care for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP)
While we focus on Spanishspeaking patients in the United States, these recommendations can be applied to benefit all patient populations with LEP and those who communicate in non-English languages in other countries
Summary
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting rise in use of telemedicine services have dramatically changed the delivery of medical care [1]. While telemedicine offers both convenience and safety, it presents specific challenges, for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) [2]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that health outcomes are more positive when doctors and patients speak the same language [3] or when professional interpreters mediate medical conversations [4]. While we focus on Spanishspeaking patients in the United States, these recommendations can be applied to benefit all patient populations with LEP and those who communicate in non-English languages in other countries
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