The medical tourism industry is flourishing globally, with millions of patients traveling from different countries to the United States for procedures ranging from dental care to complex surgeries and treatments. The United States is a popular destination due to its advanced medical technologies and high standards of care. However, this influx of international patients brings a vital need for effective communication, underscoring the importance of language proficiency in the healthcare sector.

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The Importance of Communicating Effectively with Non-Engish Speaking Patients

According to a survey conducted for ACTFL, the healthcare field is one of the sectors expecting the greatest increase in demand for foreign language skills in the future. “Medical tourists from non-English speaking countries may face language barriers when seeking medical care in the U.S. U.S. hospitals and destinations need to provide translation services and ensure that staff members are trained to communicate effectively with non-English speaking patients,” (Medical Tourism Magazine). This highlights the importance of equipping healthcare providers with the necessary language skills to cater to an international clientele.

Imagine a medical tourist we will call Sara, who has limited English proficiency. Sara is traveling from Spain to the United States for cosmetic surgery. She’s excited and hopeful about her procedure delivering the results she’s looking for. The hospital staff, while highly skilled in their medical expertise, are predominantly English-speaking and are unaware of Sara’s language barrier.

On the day of the surgery, miscommunication arises regarding pre-operative instructions. Sara misunderstands the dietary restrictions and unknowingly violates them, potentially leading to complications during surgery. Additionally, she cannot fully comprehend the consent forms, contributing to incomplete or incorrect information being provided.

The consequences of such miscommunication can be dire. If Sara experiences complications due to her misunderstanding of pre-operative instructions, the hospital could face serious legal repercussions. Consent forms that are not fully understood by the patient may be deemed invalid, raising ethical and legal concerns about informed consent. This scenario could lead to lawsuits, tarnishing the hospital’s reputation and resulting in substantial financial losses.

This is where Sofia, a bilingual employee who is certified for her proficiency in both English and Spanish, steps in as a lifesaver. She uses her bilingual superpowers to translate the pre-operative instructions for Sara, ensuring she understands every detail. Sofia also walks Sara through the consent forms, explaining each section clearly and answering any questions she has.

Thanks to Sofia’s intervention, Sara follows the instructions, the surgery proceeds without complications, and she signs the consent forms with full understanding. The hospital not only avoids potential legal issues but also enhances its reputation as a facility that provides comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Invest in Bilingual Talent and Assess Your Employees with LTI

For healthcare providers catering to an international clientele, investing in current or potential bilingual employees and their language certification and training is a strategic imperative that safeguards both patient health and the institution’s work ethics. Medical Tourists want to feel welcome and understood, so investing in language training and measuring employees’ language proficiency is always a good start.

Contact Language Testing International® (LTI) today. Let LTI help your business experience success stories such as this. With decades of expertise, LTI, the exclusive licensee of ACTFL, can ensure your employees receive legally defensible ACTFL language proficiency credentials, especially in the face of recent reports: “In March 2024, the combined spending on educational and health tourism, as well as expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States, reached $5.0 billion, marking a 13 percent increase from the previous year’s $4.4 billion total for March 2023. Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenses made up 25 percent of the overall U.S. travel and tourism exports in March 2024,” (Johnson).

LTI provides staff members working in industries serving international travelers with globally recognized ACTFL language proficiency certifications in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. ACTFL’s secure remotely proctored language assessments can be taken at any time, anywhere for the test taker’s and employer’s convenience.

Sources

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Lead with Languages Campaign commissioned Ipsos Public Affairs, with the support of Pearson LLC and Language Testing International. (2019). “Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Foreign Language Demand Among U.S. Employers.” https://www.actfl.org/uploads/files/general/MakingLanguagesOurBusiness_FullReport.pdf

Johnson, Harry. “Foreign Tourists Spent $20.1 Billion in US in March 2024.” eTurboNews. May 22, 2024. https://eturbonews.com/foreign-tourists-spent-20-1-billion-in-us-in-march-2024/

Medical Tourism Magazine. “Breaking Down Barriers: Inbound Medical Tourism in the United States.”    https://www.insights.medicaltourism.com/article/breaking-down-barriers-inbound-medical-tourism-in-the-united-states

Madeline Martínez is a Multicultural Navigator Specialist at URBANDER, a Woman and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) specializing in transforming businesses to advance humanity. URBANDER’s role is to serve as an extension of Marketing, Diversity, Human Resources, Procurement, Community Relations, and Social Responsibility teams, providing innovative approaches in the areas of strategic marketing, content development, workforce development, community outreach and IDEAS (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability). Madeline holds a both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Puerto Rico and is an experienced copywriter and content developer dedicated to amplifying the voices of URBANDER’s clients. From blogs and articles to social media posts and interviews, Madeline is a skilled writer across diverse topics integrating her marketing, business and academic acumen. Though her earlier work as a Publications Officer at the Inter American University in Puerto Rico, and her most recent performance as a Spanish Interpreter, Substitute Teacher, and Instructional Assistant for English-language learning elementary school students, Madeline has impacted countless families as they have navigated migrating to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries. As a bilingual professional, Madeline is also proficient in translating written documents from English to Spanish, and vice versa. She has received LTI issued ACTFL Language Proficiency Certificates in Spanish as follows: Advanced Writing, Advanced Listening, Advanced Reading and Superior Speaking. During her downtime, Madeline loves spending time with her family, and enjoys dancing, movies, photography, and coffee. She considers herself a continuous learner. “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers”- Helen Keller

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