Addressing Virtual Care Disparities for Patients With Limited English Proficiency

AJMC January 14, 2022
Aswita Tan-McGrory, MBA, MSPH, Lee H. Schwamm, MD, Christopher Kirwan, PhD, Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, MPH, Esteban A. Barreto, PhD, MA

With increased use of virtual care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following recommendations address disparities for patients with limited English proficiency.

ABSTRACT

During a surge of COVID-19 cases, the majority of care delivery at a large academic medical center moved to virtual care. Due to COVID-19–associated regulatory changes, virtual care is now delivered through telephone and videoconferencing platforms. Although virtual platforms allow patients to access care while socially distancing, patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) face structural barriers to these platforms, including lack of access to technology, need for medical interpreters, unfriendly patient portals, and increased privacy concerns.

Strategies for increasing access to virtual platforms and technology for patients with LEP included offering patient education in multiple languages, reducing...

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