Language Barriers in Healthcare: A Digital Divide

In the digital age, patient portals have become a go-to tool for managing health care, offering everything from test results to virtual doctor visits. Yet, for over 25 million Americans who speak little English, these portals can be a roadblock rather than a resource. A recent study from the University of Michigan revealed that a significant number of hospitals still only offer their patient portals in English, leaving many in the lurch. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, examined 511 hospitals across 17 states with large populations who speak limited English. Shockingly, 29% of these hospitals only provided English access to their patient portals. Meanwhile, 60% offered English and Spanish, and a mere 11% included English, Spanish, and at least one other language. Even more concerning, fewer than 5% of hospitals provided login prompts in the most common non-English, non-Spanish language spoken in their area. So, what does this mean for patients? It means missing out on vital health care services like virtual visits and secure messaging with doctors. Dr. Debbie Chen, an endocrinologist and assistant professor at the University of Michigan, highlighted the importance of this issue, stating, "If a patient cannot log in to the patient portal, what health care services are they missing out on and how might that impact their health? " The study also found that hospitals with medical training programs, known as teaching hospitals, were more likely to offer multiple language options. This suggests that these institutions might be more attuned to the diverse needs of their patient populations. Chen pointed out that many patient portals were developed long before the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the demand for virtual health care services. Interestingly, hospitals using popular software like Epic MyChart or Cerner were more likely to offer portal access in multiple languages. This indicates that third-party software providers could play a crucial role in improving accessibility. Chen emphasized the growing number of people with limited English proficiency in the U. S. and the importance of making patient portals accessible to all. While federal rules require hospitals receiving Medicare or other federal funding to provide access to health care services for patients with limited English, these standards don't always extend to patient portals. This gap in regulation could be a significant barrier to equitable health care access.