Untranslated letters lead to millions of missed healthcare appointments

Language barriers in health care have far-reaching consequences, as highlighted by Marit Teigen Hauge, Assistant municipal medical officer in Molde Municipality, one of our customers in Norway. Imagine receiving a crucial hospital appointment letter, but the details are buried within a sea of unfamiliar text. This is a reality for many foreign language speaking patients, leading to missed appointments and a strain on healthcare resources.

6.7 million missed hospital consultations

In Norway, a staggering 6.7 million hospital consultations are missed annually, raising the question of how many could have been avoided with better communication. While fines for non-attendance are a proposed solution, Marit calls for a more compassionate approach. 

“The health organizations believe that the solution to "no-show" consultations is to impose a fee of up to 1,544 NOK on the patients.” writes Marit.

“That’s five times more than it costs to show up. And patients without the linguistic qualifications to understand the letters in Norwegian often have financial challenges.”

Wasted time and resources

Missed appointments waste valuable healthcare resources and have a ripple effect on patients and providers. 

“For the patient who misses out or receives delayed examination and treatment, this can have serious consequences.” writes Marit.

Patients may face delayed care or worsened conditions, while healthcare professionals grapple with rescheduling and rebooking. “The hospitals should, both for the sake of the patients and their own organization, look at other possibilities to ensure attendance.”

From rebooking to re-coordinating interpreters, hospital staff face a considerable administrative burden due to missed consultations. Qualified interpreters are often scarce, leaving administrative teams to handle the fallout from language barriers without adequate support.

The role of technology in healthcare communication

Technology can play a vital role in bridging this communication gap. Hauge notes that while The Directorate of Health has promoted patient rights to interpreters, this initiative has not extended to essential documents like hospital appointment letters. Drawing from successful local initiatives, Hauge calls for a national healthcare website offering translated standard appointment letters. A resource like that would empower patients with clear, accessible communication and reduce appointment-related misunderstandings.

We at Care to Translate envision a future where language is no longer a barrier to healthcare access. By implementing solutions like translated appointment letters and standardized practices, we can ensure timely and effective health care for all.

Source: Dagens Medisin, Author: Marit Teigen Hauge, Assistant Municipal Medical Officer, Molde Municipality

Learn more

Learn more about how Molde Municipality use Care to Translate to tear down langauge barriers in health care through this recorded webinar.