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Serving Members Better by Speaking Their Language

Date: 06/06/24

Treating the whole patient – not only their conditions – is a major component of delivering quality healthcare. Louisiana Healthcare Connections offers you information and tools to help make that possible.

Member Demographics and Our Members

Louisiana Healthcare Connections members speak more than 15 languages, and the population grows more diverse each year. In 2021, 92.6% of Louisiana residents reported English as their preferred language, and 6.8% prefer another language, according to U.S. Census data. Louisiana Healthcare Connections also identifies 3 languages meeting a certain threshold among the population in 2023 Louisiana Healthcare Connection’s threshold languages include: Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

Working With Interpreters in Your Practice

To request an on-demand telephonic interpreter, please call 1-866-595-8133, select Option 3, then 0. Enter your NPI and Tax ID and request desired language. Be sure to provide your patient’s Member ID number. Not sure of your patient’s language? Go to our website at Louisianahealthconnect.com, click on “Language Assistance” in the footer at the bottom of the page, and have the member point to their language. If it’s not listed, you can work with the interpreter service to identify the right language. You may also find out a patient’s language by logging on to our provider portal and downloading your Patient List, or by contacting our Member Services department at the toll-free number located on the back of the member’s ID card.

Using the speakerphone function is recommended for communication efficiency between you, your patient and the interpreter.

All participating Louisiana Healthcare Connections providers are required to comply with certain interpreter requirements.

  • Providers must ensure that bilingual staff who act as interpreters are qualified and meet the quality standards, which includes documentation that the staff member’s proficiency was assessed.
  • Patients can never be required to bring their own interpreters.
  • Minors may not interpret, even if their parent or other relative consents, unless there is an emergency and there is not a qualified interpreter immediately available.
  • An accompanying adult may interpret if the patient agrees and if it is appropriate to the situation.

Providers that use bilingual staff to communicate with patients must ensure that bilingual staff can interpret effectively, accurately, and to and from the language of the patient and English, using any necessary specialized vocabulary terminology and phraseology.

Providers are strongly encouraged to document in the medical record the use of family, friends, and minors as interpreters. If an interpreter is offered and the patient declines, the provider should also document this in the medical record.

Reach out to your provider relations specialist with Louisiana Healthcare Connections to learn more about these requirements, and how you can use them to make your relationship with your patients stronger and more effective.

Your Louisiana Healthcare Connections Support Doesn’t Stop There

Our Provider website contains essential information, including member surveys, health equity resources, language services and resources, provider credentialing rights, the utilization management process how to access care management services, your rights, and other sources of support for you.

Read more now: LouisianaHealthConnect.com/Quality-Program. If you have additional questions or need specific support, call Provider Services at 1-866-595-8133