The design of hospital patient portals may prevent millions of people with limited English proficiency from fully participating in their health care, according to cross-sectional study results.
A review of portals offered by several hundred U.S. hospitals showed more than one-quarter included login prompts — such as for usernames and passwords — only in English. Nearly 90% offered access in no language other than English or Spanish, and less than 5% offered access in the most commonly spoken non-English, non-Spanish language in their respective counties.
“In recent years, patient portals have