When Dr. Maria Patel became Director of Quality at her health system, she didn’t start with metrics. She started by listening—shadowing nurses, sitting in on intake interviews, and asking where communication broke down. One year later, her team had cut readmissions by 14%, rolled out a multilingual discharge protocol, and launched a real-time interpreter access tool that was inspired by a single late-night ED case. Her story is a powerful reminder: when we track the right patient cohorts, we reveal the real drivers of care quality. Yet despite mounting evidence, most healthcare organizations still don’t track patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) as a distinct cohort.
According to Boostlingo’s Healthcare Interpreting Report 2025, 3 out of 4 healthcare organizations are not tracking LEP patient outcomes or evaluating language access programs. This oversight creates a massive blind spot for healthcare leaders committed to improving care delivery, compliance, and equity.
So, how can quality officers and compliance teams begin tracking LEP patients as a unique cohort—and why should they prioritize it now?
Why Track LEP Patients?
LEP patients experience worse outcomes than their English-speaking counterparts. According to a study cited by the Joint Commission, LEP patients are at increased risk for longer hospital stays, treatment delays, complications after treatment, and avoidable readmissions. These disparities not only impact care but also put healthcare systems at legal and accreditation risk.
Tracking LEP data allows you to:
- Meet federal and state compliance requirements, including Title VI and CLAS standards
- Satisfy Joint Commission expectations for equitable care
- Uncover care gaps and drive quality improvement initiatives
But capturing this data isn’t straightforward. Barriers include inconsistent language preference intake processes, lack of EHR integration with interpreter services, and inadequate staff training. Without a consistent method to identify and monitor LEP patients, quality leaders struggle to act on what they can’t see.
To bridge this visibility gap, healthcare quality leaders should start by incorporating LEP patients as a formal reporting cohort.
Tracking LEP Patients as a Cohort in Annual Quality Reports
Healthcare quality leaders can take a significant step forward by formally recognizing LEP patients as a unique cohort in their annual quality reports. As Merrie Wallace, MN BSN and CRO at Boostlingo, shared in our report, “If it’s not in the report, it doesn’t get measured—and if it doesn’t get measured, it doesn’t get improved.”
To do this effectively, leaders should:
- Create a dedicated LEP metrics section in the annual report, listing language preference capture rates, interpreter utilization data, and LEP-related outcome metrics.
- Compare LEP patient outcomes with non-LEP cohorts to reveal disparities and identify actionable areas for improvement.
- Use analytics from interpreter management tools (like Boostlingo IMS) to track real-time utilization trends and changes over time.
- Align LEP tracking with broader DEI and population health goals to embed equity across reporting frameworks.
By making LEP visibility part of the reporting rhythm, organizations demonstrate a tangible commitment to care equity and unlock smarter decision-making across departments.
How to Use LEP Data Strategically
Effective tracking begins with asking the right questions. Are language preferences consistently collected during patient intake? Are interpreter services offered, accepted, and tracked in a way that highlights both utilization patterns and operational gaps?
Understanding how and when interpreters are used—whether by phone, video, or in-person—can help healthcare teams evaluate which departments or services are most in need of support. Similarly, tracking outcomes like no-show and readmission rates for LEP patients, alongside experience metrics such as interpreter connection times and service ratings, provides a fuller picture of communication equity.
Technology-Enabled Data Loops
Boostlingo’s evolving Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system makes it easier to connect providers and interpreters quickly, while capturing valuable data. Calls can be routed straight to interpreters (no PIN needed) and features like quick dials, intake prompts, and post-call ratings provide a streamlined experience for users and better tracking for administrators.
With tailored intake forms, role-specific prompts, and upcoming rating features, IVR technology feeds directly into quality monitoring efforts. This enables healthcare leaders to identify gaps in language support, prioritize resource allocation, and embed language access into broader DEI and safety strategies, turning what was once a manual process into a smart, data-driven feedback loop.
Building the Right Infrastructure
Tracking LEP patient data requires systems designed with language access in mind. That means integrating data collection with EHR workflows and interpreter services.
Boostlingo’s On-Demand and Interpreter Management System (IMS) platforms enable easy analytics collection across interpreting modalities. With IVR customization, organizations can tailor interpreter workflows to their specific needs while collecting consistent data. Healthcare leaders can begin building a “data lake” around interpreting activities—tracking metrics like:
- Number of languages served
- Average connection times for interpreters
- Real-time ratings of interpreters and calls
- Caller information via customizable PINs and intake forms
This infrastructure ensures that language support isn’t just available—it’s measurable, reportable, and optimizable.
Closing the Language Gap
Despite these tools and insights, the gap remains wide: 50% of healthcare organizations cared for at least one LEP patient last year without the support of an interpreter. That stat should be a wake-up call. Tracking LEP patients as a unique cohort isn’t just about compliance or optics. It’s about safety, dignity, and accountability.
See how Boostlingo can help your organization close this gap. Schedule a demo today.
