210 ILCS 87/5: Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds and declares that Illinois is becoming a land of people whose languages and cultures give the state a global quality. The Legislature further finds and declares that access to basic health care services is the right of every resident of the State, and that access to information regarding basic health care services is an essential element of that right.

Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly that where language or communication barriers exist between patients and the staff of a health facility, arrangements shall be made for interpreters or bilingual professional staff to ensure adequate and speedy communication between patients and staff.