Communication between patients and care teams about medical, behavioral health (including substance use), and social service needs is essential to ensuring equitable, quality care and cultivating trusting relationships. For patients who speak English less than “very well,” also known as Limited English Proficiency or LEP, the inability to communicate effectively and confidently with care teams is a significant barrier and undermines the ability to build trust in providers and the health system as a whole. In the area of pain management and substance use disorder treatment, these disparities are exacerbated by the lack of language-appropriate care, leading to untreated or undertreated conditions. Read the full blog post.
