Case Study: Alberta Health Services improves access to care with LanguageLine multilingual interpretation

Alberta Health Services boosts language access with LanguageLine for 7-language phone support

Alberta Health Services (AHS) faced a significant challenge in providing equitable healthcare access to its diverse population in Red Deer, where 15% of residents speak a first language other than English or French. For these individuals, the initial phone call to a health clinic was a major barrier, as they could not navigate the English-language interactive voice response system. This led to frustration, dropped calls, and patients avoiding care altogether. To address this, AHS partnered with vendor LanguageLine to reimagine this first point of contact.

LanguageLine implemented a multilingual inbound phone system that greets callers with a menu in seven languages. Upon selection, the call is immediately routed to a professional medical interpreter who remains on the line for the entire interaction. This solution streamlined the process, eliminating guesswork for staff and reducing delays. The result was increased confidence for limited-English patients, improved efficiency for staff, and fewer dropped calls, ultimately helping AHS achieve its mission of providing quicker and more equitable access to care.

Alberta Health Services (ahs)