The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Choosing Indecision Comes at a Price
Decision-making in health systems happens daily and impacts patient care, finances, and reputation. Yet, despite its impact, decisions to improve or make changes to language services programs are often deprioritized. Choosing not to upgrade or implement strong, holistic language services isn’t neutral; it carries real risks and costs that can escalate over time.
This article highlights the consequences of neglecting language services, including financial losses, legal risks, and operational inefficiencies. We’ll also share practical strategies to improve outcomes and reduce risks.
The Hidden Costs of Doing Nothing
Delaying decisions about language services often happens because it is not perceived as an urgency. However, this inaction comes with hidden costs that can affect finances, operations, and compliance.
Financial Losses
Delaying action on language services results in immediate and ongoing financial consequences, both indirect and direct costs.
Costs of Inefficient Language Services
Operational inefficiencies erode the bottom line, and hidden costs from outdated contracts and service models are underestimated. These inefficiencies, such as vendors with longer interpreter session times can increase labor costs, reduce capacity, and drive-up overtime expenses. For example, one service comparison in 2025 showed +50% longer than AMN-average session duration and a $262,355 annual cost inefficiency. Missed connections, long wait times, and poor tech integration further amplify these costs. Learn more about these hidden expenses in "The True Cost of Price Per Minute."
Clinical Risks and Patient Readmissions
Perhaps most significant, failure to provide adequate interpretation increases the risk of clinical errors and unnecessary readmissions. Data shows that LEP patients without access to qualified interpreters are readmitted at rates 9.4% higher than those who receive interpretation on both admission and discharge days (Lindholm, M., Hargraves, J. L., Ferguson, W. J., & Reed, G., 2012). Considering each hospital readmission averages $15,200 in additional cost, and lack of interpreter access also leads to longer lengths of stay, inaction can easily translate to hundreds of thousands of dollars in preventable expense every year.
Consequences of Noncompliance with Section 1557
Non-compliance with Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act can lead to legal penalties, fines, and reputational damage. This provision mandates meaningful access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) and disabilities. Violations can lead to lawsuits, investigations, or suspension of federal financial assistance. Investing in compliant language solutions is a financial and ethical necessity. Explore our Section 1557 Compliance Toolkit to ensure your organization is prepared and compliant.
Missing Vendor Incentives
Sometimes vendors will offer credits or discounts to prospective clients to meet their own quarterly or annual fiscal goals. These incentives can equal from 0.5 to 5% of the contract total. For instance, a prominent hospital system in Florida was locked into a costly lease program for over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) hardware, which restricted their flexibility and strained their resources. By remaining in this program, the health system continued to incur preventable losses, instead of transitioning to our more cost-effective program with AMN Healthcare Language Services.
Overcoming the Psychological Barriers to Decision-Making
Many organizations hesitate to act on language services due to common challenges:
- Fear of Disruption: Executives worry about workflow interruptions when switching providers or upgrading systems, despite the long-term benefits.
- Stakeholder Misalignment: Disagreements among teams, like care providers pushing for better services while financial leaders focus on costs, delay decisions. Clear data showing cost savings and better outcomes can help.
- Lack of Awareness: Some leaders don’t know about modern solutions that integrate with EMRs and telehealth platforms, assuming all language services are the same.
Strategies for Proactive Decision-Making
Recognizing the high cost of doing nothing, how can healthcare executives take action? Here are four practical steps to guide decision-making and implementation.
1. Assess Current Gaps
Conduct a thorough audit of your current language services. Identify inefficiencies, compliance risks, and their downstream impact on patient outcomes and financial performance. Tools like patient surveys and operational reviews can provide valuable insights into areas that need improvement.
2. Build a Business Case for Change
Leverage data to quantify the consequences of inaction. Highlight metrics such as readmission costs, interpreter session times, and compliance risks to justify investment in more effective solutions. Case studies from other organizations, like Bon Secours Health System and Onvida Health, can illustrate tangible benefits, such as a 50% reduction in manual reporting time with integrated services or a 15-minute improvement in speed to care for LEP patients.
To maximize these benefits, you can holistically align your language services across your organization. Through our Strategic Partnership Solutions (SPS), we operate as the industry’s most comprehensive language operations consultation group to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and streamline communication and accessibility for patients with limited English proficiency.
Access more information about what a strategic partnership can do for your organization by contacting us.
3. Choose a Healthcare-Exclusive Provider
Collaborate with a language services partner that specializes in healthcare, like AMN Healthcare Language Services. Providers with a healthcare focus offer unique advantages, such as medically trained interpreters, advanced VRI systems, and seamless integration with leading EMR platforms like Epic or Cerner.
4. Implement Gradual, Scalable Solutions
Not every transformation needs to happen all at once. Consider phased implementation plans to minimize disruption. Upgrading high-impact areas, such as emergency services or telehealth first, allows you to build organizational buy-in and refine processes incrementally.
Reaping the Rewards of Action
When healthcare organizations invest in effective language services, the benefits extend far beyond compliance or cost savings—they directly enhance patient care, the central goal of every health system. LEP patients who have access to professional medical interpreters report greater trust and satisfaction, reduced errors, and better adherence to treatment plans. These outcomes align directly with the mission of advancing health equity while strengthening operational performance.
The initial transition to optimized systems may require effort, but the long-term rewards make it unequivocally worthwhile and are felt across all levels of the organization.
Act Today
If you’ve been delaying decisions around language services, now is the time to act. Reach out to AMN Healthcare Language Services today to explore how our tailored solutions can ensure compliance, improve patient outcomes, and safeguard your organization’s financial health.
