Request the Department of Health to convene a Stakeholder Working Group to study language access in health care settings, focusing on the benefits and impacts of technologies such as artificial intelligence. Instruct the Working Group to assess experiences of limited English proficiency (LEP) populations, existing language services, and disparities in health care access. Advise the Group to make recommendations for enhancing meaningful access to health care, including options for utilizing AI-based solutions. Require the Department of Health to invite stakeholders, including LEP individuals, health care providers, insurers, community-based organizations, and language service providers to participate in the Group. Instruct the Department of Health to submit a report of the Group's findings and recommendations, along with proposed legislation, to the Legislature by a specified deadline.
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Hawaii HCR 71 (2024)
ETO AGORA · U.S. state and local documents · 2024
Summary
Request the Department of Health to convene a Stakeholder Working Group to study language access in health care settings, focusing on the benefits and impacts of technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Instruct the Working Group to assess experiences of limited English proficiency (LEP) populations, existing language services, and disparities in health care access.
Advise the Group to make recommendations for enhancing meaningful access to health care, including options for utilizing AI-based solutions.
Require the Department of Health to invite stakeholders, including LEP individuals, health care providers, insurers, community-based organizations, and language service providers to participate in the Group.
Instruct the Department of Health to submit a report of the Group's findings and recommendations, along with proposed legislation, to the Legislature by a specified deadline.
Requests the Department of Health assess AI's benefits for language access in healthcare and report findings.
[introductory comments omitted] BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to convene a Stakeholder Working Group to make recommendations to enhance meaningful access to health care in the State through the provision of language assistance services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to invite stakeholders, including at least one LEP individual with experience accessing health services, health care providers, insurers, representatives of community-based organizations, language service providers, and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, to participate in the Stakeholder Working Group; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Stakeholder Working Group is requested to:
(1) Study and assess language access in health care settings across the State and on each island in the State, including but not limited to:
(A) Experiences of LEP populations using language assistance services;
(B) Existing language assistance services and workforce;
(C) Disparities faced by LEP individuals in access to health care;
(D) Practice of using family members and friends as interpreters in health care settings;
(E) Availability of interpreters;
(F) Requirements for providing interpretation services in medical and health care settings; and
(G) Benefits and impacts of technologies such as artificial intelligence; and
(2) Make recommendations to enhance meaningful access to health care in the State for individuals requiring language assistance services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to submit a report of the Stakeholder Working Group's study, findings, and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.