"Language barriers and patient safety in supportive care: Two case reports bridging system-level gaps"

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Health Equity
• Health Communication

Background:

• Patients with non-English language preference (NELP) experience significant communication barriers in palliative and supportive care.
• These barriers can compromise care quality, delay treatment, and increase unmet psychosocial needs, especially with low health literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the challenges faced by patients with NELP in palliative care due to language barriers.
• To illustrate the impact of communication gaps on patient distress and safety.
• To advocate for systemic improvements in language accessibility in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Case study of two Spanish-speaking patients with advanced cancer facing language barriers.
• Description of interdisciplinary interventions implemented to address communication gaps.
• Analysis of the role of electronic medical records (EMR) and the need for multilingual tools.

Main Results:

• Interventions like professional interpreters, bilingual psychology, and teach-back methods improved patient trust and care alignment.
• Lack of validated Spanish tools in EMRs hindered symptom reporting and patient safety.
• EMR system development for Spanish templates was initiated following identified needs.

Conclusions:

• Structural language accessibility gaps exacerbate patient distress, reduce autonomy, and compromise safety.
• Interpreter services alone are insufficient; validated multilingual tools in EMRs and standardized translated materials are crucial.
• Institutionalizing linguistically responsive systems is vital for equitable, safe, and dignified palliative care for NELP patients.