Originally featured in Hit Consultant, this article by Ad Astra’s CEO, Elena Petrova, offers practical insights for healthcare organizations looking to improve patient experience and compliance in today’s multilingual care environment.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey , nearly 29.6 million people in the U.S. have Limited English Proficiency (LEP)—that’s more than 8% of the population. These patients face significant healthcare disparities according to the AMA Journal of Ethics, including higher risks of medical errors, longer hospital stays, and misunderstandings in care.
For healthcare providers, this makes HIPAA-compliant language access not just a regulatory issue—but a patient safety and equity imperative.
A comprehensive checklist keeps language access aligned with data privacy laws. Healthcare providers should:
Verify interpreter qualifications, including training in HIPAA, medical terminology, and cultural nuance
Train staff on proper workflows for interpreter use and privacy protocols
Audit telehealth and interpreting platforms to ensure they meet HIPAA standards for secure communications
Organizations need operational protocols that balance quality care and compliance. Start with:
Regular HIPAA training for linguists
Auditing translation and interpreting sessions
Using secure messaging platforms for multilingual patient communication
Partnering with LSPs who provide trained, vetted linguists in high- and low-resource languages
Ad Astra provides interpreters trained in both healthcare and HIPAA protocols across 300+ languages.
The rise of telehealth interpretation brings new challenges and opportunities. When evaluating platforms for VRI or multilingual patient communication, healthcare providers should ensure:
End-to-end encryption for video/audio sessions
Two-factor authentication for interpreter access
Secure storage of interpreted or translated data
Integration with HIPAA-compliant telehealth tools
AdAstraConnect offers HIPAA-compliant VRI and OPI services that integrate with existing healthcare systems.
As the U.S. healthcare system continues to evolve, language access must evolve with it. By developing internal safeguards, using secure platforms, and partnering with qualified, HIPAA-aware interpreters, healthcare providers can improve outcomes for LEP patients—and protect their organizations from risk.
Elena Petrova is the Founder and CEO of Ad Astra, a trusted leader in cross-cultural communication and language access services. With two decades of experience, she is a recognized expert in building HIPAA-compliant language access solutions for healthcare, government, and industry.
Ad Astra partners with healthcare organizations to implement secure, culturally competent language services that meet today’s compliance and care standards.