scholarly journals Use of interpreter services in a metropolitan healthcare system

2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Heaney ◽  
Sharon Moreham
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Interpreter Use ◽  
Interpreter Service ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

The purpose of this study was to explore interpreter service utilisation in a Melbourne metropolitan healthcare system. 109 staff members working at the three campuses comprising this healthcare system completed questionnaires. Results reflected an under-usage of professional interpreters and an over-reliance on informal interpreters. A lack of knowledge about interpreter services was related to a lack of formal interpreter use and an increased use of informal interpreters. While the presence of an onsite interpreter coordination service at one of the campuses did not affect the level of familiarity or use of formal interpreters, it was related to a decreased use of informal interpreters. Further promotion and education regarding interpreter services is imperative to ensure that a safe, efficient and equitable service is being provided to all clients.

Observational study to understand interpreter service use in emergency medicine: why the key may lie outside of the initial provider assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 582-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie C Benda ◽  
Rollin J Fairbanks ◽  
D Jeffrey Higginbotham ◽  
Li Lin ◽  
Ann M Bisantz
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Emergency Department Staff ◽  
Department Staff ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
Eastern Usa ◽  
Interpreter Service

ObjectiveTo characterise the use of interpreter services and other strategies used to communicate with limited English proficient (LEP) patients throughout their emergency department visit.MethodsWe performed a process tracing study observing LEP patients throughout their stay in the emergency department. A single observer completed 47 hours of observation of 103 communication episodes between staff and nine patients with LEP documenting the strategy used to communicate (eg, professional interpreter, family member, own language skills) and duration of conversations for each communicative encounter with hospital staff members. Data collection occurred in a single emergency department in the eastern USA between July 2017 and February 2018.ResultsThe most common strategy (per communicative encounter) was for the emergency department staff to communicate with the patient in English (observed in 29.1% of encounters). Total time spent in communicating was highest using telephone-based interpreters (32.9% of total time spent communicating) and in-person interpreters (29.2% of total time spent communicating). Communicative mechanism also varied by care task/phase of care with the most use of interpreter services or Spanish proficient staff (as primary communicator) occurring during triage (100%) and the initial provider assessment (100%) and the lowest interpreter service use during ongoing evaluation and treatment tasks (24.3%).ConclusionsEmergency department staff use various mechanisms to communicate with LEP patients throughout their length of stay. Utilisation of interpreter services was poorest during evaluation and treatment tasks, indicating that this area should be a focus for improving communication with LEP patients.

Patient satisfaction of telephone or video interpreter services compared with in-person services: a systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey Joseph ◽  
Marie Garruba ◽  
Angela Melder
Keyword(s):  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Interpreter Service ◽  
Google Search

Objective This review was conducted to identify and synthesise the evidence around the use of telephone and video interpreter services compared with in-person services in healthcare. Methods A systematic search of articles published in the English language was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Joanna Briggs, Google Scholar and Google. Search terms included ‘interpreter’, ‘patient satisfaction’, ‘consumer satisfaction’ and ‘client satisfaction’. Any study that did not compare in-person interpreter services with either telephone or video interpreter services was excluded from analysis. Studies were screened for inclusion or exclusion by two reviewers, using criteria established a priori. Data were extracted via a custom form and synthesised. Results The database search yielded 196 studies, eight of which were included in the present review. The search using an Internet search engine did not identify any relevant studies. Of the studies included, five used telephone and three used video interpreter services. All studies, except one, compared levels of satisfaction regarding in-person interpretation and telephone or video interpretation. One study compared satisfaction of two versions of video interpretation. There is evidence of higher satisfaction with hospital-trained interpreters compared with ad hoc (friend or family) or telephone interpreters. There is no difference in satisfaction between in-person interpreting, telephone interpreting or interpretation provided by the treating bilingual physician. Video interpreting has the same satisfaction as in-person interpreting, regardless of whether the patient and the physician are in the same room. Higher levels of satisfaction were reported for trained telephone interpreters than for in-person interpreters or an external telephone interpreter service. Conclusions Current evidence does not suggest there is one particular mode of interpreting that is superior to all others. This review is limited in its translational capacity given that most studies were from the US and in a Spanish-speaking cohort. What is known about the topic? Access to interpreters has been shown to positively affect patients who are not proficient in speaking the local language of the health service. What does this paper add? This paper adds to the literature by providing a comprehensive summary of patient satisfaction when engaging several different types of language interpreting services used in healthcare. What are the implications for practitioners? This review provides clear information for health services on the use of language interpreter services and patient satisfaction. The current body of evidence does not indicate a superior interpreting method when patient satisfaction is concerned.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Infection Among Healthcare Workers in a National Healthcare System: the Qatar Experience

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jameela Alajmi ◽  
Andrew M. Jeremijenko ◽  
Joji C. Abraham ◽  
Moza Ishaq ◽  
Elli G. Concepcion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Supplemental Oxygen ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
National Healthcare ◽  
Clinical Support ◽  
Service Staff ◽  
National Healthcare System

The study was conducted at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, a national healthcare system with 14 hospitals and over 28,000 employees. A total of 16,912 staff members were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between March 10 and June 24, 2020 with 1,799 (10.6%) testing positive. Nurses and midwives had the highest number of infections (33.2% of all infected HCWs) followed by non-clinical support service staff (31.3%), administrative staff (14.6%), allied health professionals (12.7%), physicians (5.2% and other clinical support staff (2.9%). Among 671 infected HCW surveyed by the infection prevention and control team immediately after the positive COVID-19 test was reported, exposure to a family member or roommate with confirmed infection each were reported by 9.5%. Two-thirds of the infected HCWs were symptomatic with fever (34.6%), cough (32.2%) and sore throat (15.8%) being the most commonly reported symptoms. Among the survey respondents, 78 (11.6%) were hospitalized, 9 (1.3%) required supplemental oxygen, 4 (0.6%) were admitted to the intensive care unit) and 2 (0.3%) required mechanical ventilation. There were no deaths. To understand the transmission dynamics and impact of facility designation as COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 facility, we conducted a focused follow-up telephone survey on 393 COVID-19 positive HCW 1-6 weeks after diagnosis. Only 5% of respondents reported acquiring the virus from working at a COVID-19 designated facility while the remaining 95% reported working at a non-COVID-19 facility and acquired the infection from accidental exposure to a colleague (45%) or to a patient (29%). Among infected HCW at COVID-19 designated facilities, 82% reported used full PPE at all times while 68% of infected HCW at non-COVID-19 facilities reported using PPE as directed.

scholarly journals Protection of Health Workers From Tuberculosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysun Acun
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

: Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacillus-type bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), primarily affecting the lungs in countless individuals on a daily basis. Healthcare professionals are the most significantly affected group by this infection, especially at the points where healthcare is provided to infected individuals. In order to protect healthcare professionals from tuberculosis, it is very important to eliminate the lack of knowledge and to provide the necessary personal protective equipment. In this context, there are important tasks for both healthcare system managers and employees for protection from tuberculosis. Specifically, there are administrative, environmental, and respiratory tract measures.

Language Difficulties and Health Consequences for Older Italian-Australians in Ascot Vale

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie J. MacKinnon
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Interpreter Service ◽  
Lack Of Commitment

A qualitative needs analysis, undertaken with 33 older Italian-Australians living in Ascot Vale, identified a number of language related difficulties that had actual or potential health consequences. Indeed health services utilisation was a problem for most participants and although they all attended a general practitioner, there was usually little or no contact with agencies that provide home care, support or health enhancing information, either because of a lack of awareness on the part of participants or because they believed the services were linguistically (or culturally) inappropriate. Language support, at best, was provided by family members because the health interpreter service was rarely used. The findings suggest a lack of structural and practitioner commitment to addressing the language needs of LOTE immigrants, especially: the current financial and administrative disincentives to community based practitioners using the health interpreter services; an apparent lack of commitment on the part of health workers to use the health interpreter services; and a failure to develop mechanisms for providing them with health related information. It appears that the equity debates of the 1970s that focused on language barriers should be revisited, because the findings of this study suggest language competence is a necessary prerequisite to these older participants effectively accessing health related information or services, or participating, either individually or collectively, in the planning or implementation of their health care.

Telemonitoring Healthcare System-Based Mobile Agent Technology

2019 ◽  
pp. 198-205
Author(s):  
Nardjes Bouchemal ◽  
Ramdane Maamri ◽  
Naila Bouchemal
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Mobile Agent ◽  
Mobile Device ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Agent Technology ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Emergency Workers ◽  
New System

Generally, distributed computing through a handheld/mobile device has to be considered with care because of the limited capabilities on these devices. Especially in ubiquitous telemonitoring healthcare, which refers to the disposition of any type of health services, such that medical staff members (physicians, emergency workers, other healthcare providers, etc.) through mobile computing devices can access them and expect data to be made available. In this chapter, the authors present a new system based on ubiquitous agents to assist telemonitoring employees, not only anytime and anywhere but also on any device.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Evaluation of Knowledge of and Attitudes toward VA Smoking Cessation Services

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassie L. Cunningham ◽  
Peter J. Kaboli ◽  
Sarah Ono ◽  
Mark W. Vander Weg
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Tobacco Cessation ◽  
Primary Care Clinic ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Care Clinic ◽  
Primary Care Clinics ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Smoking Cessation Services ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

AbstractIntroduction:The aim of this study was to assess Veterans' and primary care clinic staff's knowledge about, and experiences with, tobacco cessation services available through their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility.Methods:Qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews and surveys were conducted with 7 patients and 12 providers/clinic staff members at three VA primary care clinics serving large numbers of rural Veterans. Interviews were transcribed and coded for the- matic content.Results:Five primary themes emerged: (1) lack of knowledge about available cessation services, (2) smoking cessation services provided to patients, (3) perceived barriers to cessation and the provision of treatment, (4) patient receptiveness to treatment and primary care provider involvement, (5) recommended strategies for improving smoking cessation services.Discussion:Our findings suggest there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding available tobacco cessation services in VA primary care clinics serving rural Veterans. While many patients expressed the opinion that VA was providing adequate care for nicotine dependence, they also identified important barriers to cessation and offered opinions regarding what more could be done to help them to quit smoking. Clinicians/staff also provided insight into barriers they encounter in the delivery of cessation services. Future work should focus on attempting to address these barriers.

scholarly journals Is it time to talk? Interpreter services use in general practice within Canterbury

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara Seers ◽  
Lynley Cook ◽  
Gillian Abel ◽  
Philip Schluter ◽  
Paul Bridgford
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Interpreter Service ◽  
Service Need

INTRODUCTION: Effective communication is fundamental to successful health care service delivery, and has a positive impact on access, quality of care, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Although there are a growing number of New Zealanders who do not speak English proficiently, underutilisation of trained interpreter services appears to be common in primary health care settings. AIMS: To describe the pattern of interpreter service need and utilisation by general practice services, and to identify key barriers and enabling factors to the use of trained interpreters. METHODS: A mixed methods study was employed. Census and Partnership Health Canterbury Te Kei o Te Waka (PHC) databases were combined, and quantitative analysis used to derive interpreter service need and utilisation patterns. Transcripts of focus groups and interviews from general practitioners, practice nurses and practice administration staff within the PHC were analysed, using qualitative methods to identify barriers and enablers to interpreter service use. RESULTS: For the years 2008–2010, approximately 10 742 consultations per year involved a non-English-speaking patient, yet in only approximately 74.8 (0.7%) consultations per year were interpreter services utilised. Analysis of focus groups and interviews identified four global themes that represented barriers for interpreter service utilisation; namely, practicalities, expectations, knowledge of service, and systems. DISCUSSION: The current use of interpreter services in PHC general practice appears to be significantly less than the need. In order to maximise health outcomes and reduce risk, strategies must be initiated to counter the barriers currently inhibiting interpreter service use, including adopting best practice policies. KEYWORDS: Communication; communication barriers; general practice; primary health care

scholarly journals Developing an Electronic Search Strategy Algorithm for Detecting Professional Interpreter Use among Patients with Limited English Proficiency: A Derivation and Validation Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalal Soleimani ◽  
Alberto Marquez ◽  
Timothy Weister ◽  
Amelia Barwise
Keyword(s):  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Chart Review ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Interpreter Services ◽  
Interpreter Use ◽  
Specificity And Sensitivity ◽  
Professional Interpreter ◽  
Time Required

Abstract Background Evidence exists that disparities occur for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) that impact the quality of medical services, outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Using interpreter services can reduce these negative impacts; therefore optimizing our understanding of interpreter use during patient care is important. Manual chart review is time-consuming. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a search strategy algorithm to detect patients who used professional interpreter services during their hospitalization. Methods We identified all adults who were admitted to the hospital who had at least one Intensive Care Units (ICU) admission during the hospital stay across the Mayo Clinic Enterprise between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2020. Three random subsets of 100 patients were extracted from 60,268 patients admitted to an ICU to develop the search strategy algorithm. A physician reviewer conducted the gold standard manual chart review and these results were compared with the search strategy algorithm each time it was refined. Iterative modification of the search strategy was performed and sensitivity and specificity were calculated by comparing the results to the reference standard for both derivation cohorts and the final validation cohort. Any uncertainties were resolved by a second physician researcher. Results The first search strategy resulted in a specificity of 95.7% and a sensitivity of 93.5%. The second revised search strategy achieved a specificity of 96.7% and a sensitivity of 92.3%. The final version of the search strategy was applied to the validation subset and specificity and sensitivity were 92.6% and 100% respectively. Conclusion We successfully derived and validated a search strategy algorithm to assess interpreter use among hospitalized patients. Developing a search strategy algorithm with a high sensitivity can reduce the time required to abstract data from the medical record compared to manual chart review. This can be used to examine and understand patient needs for research and quality improvement initiatives.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document