ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — General hospitals across New York State are now required to establish formal language assistance programs under a new law aimed at improving access to health care for patients with limited English proficiency and those who are hearing- or vision-impaired.
The law requires every general hospital to develop a language assistance program that ensures patients can communicate effectively with medical providers and understand their care.
Required elements include appointing a language assistance coordinator, creating policies to identify patients who need services, providing ongoing staff training, posting clear signage, documenting language preferences in medical records and offering skilled interpreters when needed…