In the United States, effective communication isn’t just a courtesy—it is a critical requirement for service delivery. According to the American Community Survey, 22% of the US population speaks a language other than English at home. More importantly, 26.5 million individuals (8.4% of the population) are considered Limited English Proficient (LEP), meaning they speak English "less than very well".
For medical practices, law firms and social services, these statistics represent a significant challenge. When language barriers exist, the risk of misdiagnosis, legal errors or service delays increases exponentially. While face-to-face interpreting is a good option where available, over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) is often the most practical, cost-effective and scalable solution for bridging these gaps.
The Challenge: Language Barriers and Regulatory Risks
For many small organizations, the hurdles to providing language access are significant:
- -> Compliance Mandates: Organizations must navigate strict regulations, including HIPAA for patient privacy and Title VI for non-discrimination.
- -> Unpredictability: You cannot always predict when a client or patient will need a specific dialect, and scheduling in-person interpreters on short notice is often impractical.
- -> Budget Constraints: In-person services often require minimum hour guarantees and travel fees, which can be prohibitive for nonprofits and small clinics.
The Accentable Services Solution
Accentable Services provides a streamlined approach to language access that addresses these pain points directly.
1. 24/7/365 On-Demand Availability
Language needs don't follow a 9-to-5 schedule. OPI allows your team to access live interpreters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether it is an emergency medical intake or a late-night social service crisis, you can be connected to a qualified professional within seconds using the calling equipment you already own.
2. Optimal Cost-Effectiveness
OPI eliminates the overhead costs of traditional interpreting. With Accentable Services, organizations can access over 260 languages and dialects for $1.49 per minute.
- -> No Travel Fees: You only pay for the time you spend speaking with the interpreter.
- -> Flexible Plans: Whether you choose a Monthly Subscription, a Pay As You Go starter pack or an Annual Subscription, you can scale your costs based on your actual usage.
3. Immediate Access to Rare Dialects
While finding a local interpreter for common languages like Spanish might be feasible, finding experts in harder-to-source languages can be a bottleneck. OPI provides instant access to a global network, ensuring you never have to turn a client away due to a language mismatch.
Compliance and Quality
At Accentable Services, we understand that "knowing the language" isn't enough in a professional setting. Our interpreters are qualified professionals who bring:
- -> Specialized Terminology: Knowledge of complex medical and legal terminology to ensure accuracy in high-stakes environments.
- -> Data Security: A strict commitment to HIPAA and confidentiality, ensuring that all private information remains protected during the call.
- -> Cultural Competence: Native-speaking interpreters who understand cultural nuances, which is essential for building trust in social services and legal advocacy.
Empowering Your Organization
Better communication leads to better outcomes. By integrating OPI into your workflow, your organization can improve client satisfaction, ensure legal and medical compliance, and operate with greater efficiency.
Accentable Services makes the transition seamless. Your account can be set up within minutes, providing you with instant access to the tools you need to serve every member of your community, regardless of the language they speak.
Better Communication
Ready to remove barriers to better service? Sign up online now for instant access to our over-the-phone interpreting services.
Or are you looking for video interpreting? Accentable Services offers video interpreting services as well.