Two former language-expert hospital administrators in conjunction with Language Line Services have released a new report called “The New Joint Commission Standards for Patient-Centered Care,” that finds hospitals are falling short of The Joint Commission’s language access requirements for patients with limited English.

According to the report and The Joint Commission, communication breakdowns are the cause for nearly 3,000 deaths every year, and the majority of these breakdowns involve patients with limited English. Studies show that 50 million people speak a language other than English in the home, and according to the report, some hospitals are not making the connection between language services, patient rights, and patient safety.

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