More than 14 million people in the US lack basic English skills. Language barriers have been associated with limited access to healthcare and poorer health outcomes. Non-English-speaking patients often receive less preventive care compared to their English-speaking counterparts and face greater challenges in accessing healthcare.

As the number of non-English-speaking patients is projected to increase in the United States, it becomes crucial to develop innovative methods to facilitate communication between clinicians and patients.

Dr. Latha Palaniappan, co-founder of Stanford CARE, said that the demographic structure of the United States has changed dramatically in recent decades. She explained why patients need not only language skills to translate, but also training to work in medical institutions. These non-English-speakers make up a significant proportion of the population. Non-English-speaking patients reported receiving less health education, poor nursing quality, and lower patient satisfaction. She said, "If an interpreter is not used upon admission or discharge, the length of hospital stay will increase by 3 days. For example, the 30 day readmission rate due to congestive heart failure has increased. There are more issues with infections, falls, surgical site infections, pressure injuries, surgical delays, and medication management. According to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the law requires healthcare providers to provide qualified interpretation services free of charge, but that is not necessarily the case. Service providers typically rely on informal interpreters such as friends or family, but are usually prohibited unless there is an emergency. There is nothing better than on-site interpreters, but telephone or video interpretation is also effective and cost-effective

Dr. Ingrid J. Hall, an epidemiologist from the Cancer Prevention and Control Division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, recently published a study on Hispanic adults linking English proficiency to access to healthcare services. Hall measured the differences between three groups of patients. The control group (non Hispanic white) had the highest proportion (84%) of receiving regular healthcare. The group of people who are proficient in using English (78%) ranks second. Only 69% of Hispanic individuals with limited English proficiency have a fixed healthcare provider. The epidemiologist led the campaign of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to make more women aware of the importance of mammography and early detection of breast cancer. Regular screening and timely diagnosis can reduce the disease and death caused by breast cancer or cervical cancer. Especially for women over 50 years old, their cancer accounts for more than 75% of breast cancer or cervical cancer. Hall said that improving health literacy and addressing nursing barriers require a "multi pronged" approach. He said, "The funds we receive from Congress flow directly to the state government. Then we encourage our state partners to collaborate with community organizations that will reach the people we want to reach.