Language discordance is not associated with longer hospital length of stay after spine surgery at institutions with readily available interpreter services

At institutions where interpreter services are readily available, patients with limited English proficiency undergoing spine surgery show no significant difference in hospital length of stay compared with English speakers — a null result that contrasts with prior arthroplasty literature and may be confounded by insurance status.

Other Notes #

This overlaps the existing claim C-0020ClaimC-0020Initial AI draftPatients with limited english proficiency can achieve equal or better clinical outcomes than English-proficient patients when they receive care at facilities with robust support servicesPatients with limited English proficiency (LEP) can achieve equal or better clinical outcomes than English-proficient patients when they receive care at facilities that provide robust support services (including interpre… (equal outcomes when robust support services are present). This Tejas-specific claim is narrower (length of stay only, spine surgery) and is authored separately per governance; a human may choose to merge it into that broader claim.