A patient leaves the hospital with a care plan designed to support recovery at home. That plan may include medication changes, follow-up appointments, warning signs to monitor, and instructions on when to seek additional care. But even the best care plan can only help if the patient understands it.
For patients with limited English proficiency, effective discharge communication requires both spoken and written language support. Qualified interpreters help patients understand their care plans and ask questions before leaving the hospital. Accurate translation provides written instructions that patients and caregivers can revisit during recovery.
For hospitals using Epic, integrating translated after-visit summaries (AVS) into clinical workflows can help connect these two important elements of care.
Reducing readmissions is a major priority for hospitals. Becker's Hospital Review reports that 2,334 hospitals face Medicare payment reductions under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program in fiscal year 2027. Those penalties took effect October 1, 2026.
Difficulty understanding discharge instructions can contribute to readmissions. Language barriers can make the problem worse. When patients do not receive information in a language they understand, they may leave the hospital unsure about how to manage their recovery or when to seek additional care.
This presents an opportunity for hospitals. Providing discharge instructions in patients' preferred languages can help them follow treatment plans and manage their care at home. It may also help reduce avoidable readmissions.
Research suggests that language access plays an important role in supporting successful transitions of care.
A UMass Memorial Medical Center study found 30-day readmission rates of 14.9% among patients with limited English proficiency who had professional interpretation documented on both admission and discharge days. The rate was 24.3% among patients who had no interpretation documented on either day.
A UCSF study found that readmissions among patients with limited English proficiency declined from 17.8% to 13.4% after dual-handset interpreter phones were placed at hospital bedsides. When the phones became less accessible, the improvement was not sustained.
Both studies highlight the importance of making qualified interpreters readily available, particularly at critical moments such as discharge.
But patients also need to understand their instructions after the conversation ends. This is where written translation can play a significant role in reducing readmissions.
Once patients return home, they often rely on written instructions to manage medications, monitor symptoms, and follow their treatment plans. For patients with limited English proficiency, having those instructions in a language they understand can make an important difference.
A study of outpatient prescribers found that language support for medication instructions is often inconsistent. Most providers surveyed did not know whether pharmacies supplied translated medication labels, and nearly 70% doubted that patients received accurate written instructions in their preferred language.
The findings reveal a potential gap in care. Even when patients understand their discharge conversations, they may struggle to follow their treatment plans if written medication instructions are not available in a language they understand.
Additional research suggests that translated discharge instructions can help address this problem.
A separate UCSF study evaluated standardized discharge instructions in English and Chinese. After implementation, Chinese-preferring patients experienced a 10.9percent decrease in the adjusted probability of medication-related questions after discharge, effectively eliminating the observed gap with English-preferring patients.
Together, these studies reinforce the value of combining qualified interpretation during discharge discussions with translated instructions that patients can reference at home.
Bring AVS translation into the Epic workflow
For hospitals, providing translated discharge instructions requires more than recognizing their importance. Translation must also fit into existing clinical workflows so that instructions are ready when patients need them.
That is where Epic integration can help.
LanguageLine TranslateExpress, available through the Epic Toolbox, supports translation of after-visit summaries and discharge instructions directly within Epic. Every TranslateExpress translation includes human review and rapid turnaround, helping healthcare organizations obtain patient-specific translated instructions in time for discharge.
By identifying language needs early and coordinating translation requests during a patient's stay, care teams can plan to have translated instructions available when discharge occurs.
This approach allows interpretation and translation to work together. Patients can discuss their care plans with a qualified interpreter before leaving the hospital and return to written instructions in their preferred language once they are home.
The result is a more consistent approach to communication during the transition from hospital to home.
To explore AVS translation in your Epic workflow, contact your dedicated LanguageLine account executive or email translation@languageline.com.