Healthcare delivered in a patient’s preferred language could decrease ER visits, hospitalizations, death: Research

ICES found LTC residents whose primary language was one other than English and French were less likely to visit the ER, be hospitalized or die when their family doctor spoke their language. Research established patients who face language barriers in the healthcare system often struggle to access services and receive care that is of lower quality and safety. This study examines whether those disparities can be attributed to language barriers. The report found allophones who received language-concordant primary care experienced fewer:

• ER visits (53% vs 58%);
• Hospitalizations (35% vs 38%); and
• Deaths during the study period (14% vs 17%), when compared with those who received language-discordant primary care.

ICES says the study highlights the importance of collecting both patient and physician language data.