“I Don’t Know, I’m Just the Interpreter”: A first approach to the role of healthcare interpreters beyond bilingual medical encounters

Researchers have long been preoccupied with the issue of role in healthcare interpreting. However, most studies approach this construct in the course of medical consultations, leaving somewhat unattended other spaces and activities in which interpreters also participate. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the healthcare interpreters’ role in these areas. Drawing on participant observation, I examined the roles played by five interpreters at a hospital in Madrid for five months in activities different to provider-patient interactions (e.g. waiting with patients). Seven key roles were identified outside medical consultations: intercultural and moral mediator, patient advocate, institutional navigator, healthcare ambassador, information miner and companion/conversation partner. A key finding is that most events in which interpreters participate occur outside medical consultations, which makes it essential to shift the attention to the roles played in these alternative spaces. Understanding the role of healthcare interpreters in different activities within the realm of healthcare scenarios is essential to construct an accurate vision of what being just an interpreter really means.

Managing Challenging Patient Interactions in Breast Imaging

Managing challenging patient interactions can be a daily stressor for breast imaging radiologists, leading to burnout. This article offers communication and behavioral practices for radiologists that help reduce radiologists’ stress during these encounters. Patient scenarios viewed as difficult can vary among radiologists. Radiologists’ awareness of their own physical, mental, and emotional states, along with skillful communications, can be cultivated to navigate these interactions and enhance resiliency. Understanding underlying causes of patients’ emotional reactions, denial, and anger helps foster empathy and compassion during discussions. When exposed to extremely disruptive, angry, or racially abusive patients, having pre-existing institutional policies to address these behaviors helps direct appropriate responses and guide subsequent actions. These extreme behaviors may catch breast imaging radiologists off guard yet have potentially significant consequences. Rehearsing scripted responses before encounters can help breast imaging radiologists maintain composure in the moment, responding in a calm, nonjudgmental manner, and most effectively contributing to service recovery. However, when challenging patient encounters do trigger difficult emotions in breast imaging radiologists, debriefing with colleagues afterwards and naming the emotion can help the radiologists process their feelings to regain focus for performing clinical duties.

Patient Satisfaction with Doctor-Patient Interaction using SKIP-11 and Its Associated Factors among Type 2 Diabetics in Primary Care.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The quality of diabetes care is widely suboptimal, and most of the interventions depend on the active involvement and participation of patients. Understanding and determining patient related factors can help primary care providers pay more attention and give greater care to those patients. This will improve patient satisfaction, which further enhances compliance with or adherence to diabetic treatment. Therefore, this study aims to determine patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction and its associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among adults who had had diabetes for at least six months. Participants were selected by systemic random sampling in the outpatient clinic of the University Hospital. Patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction was measured using 11- items with a three-domain version of the “Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan-11” questionnaire. The total scores ranged from 11 to 55, and those who scored 44 and above (> 80%) were considered satisfied. Results: A total of 417 patients were recruited in the study. 60% were satisfied with their doctor-patient interactions. Among the subtypes in the satisfied group, the domain of rapport had the highest percentage of satisfaction at 77.7%. HbA1c was found to be significant associated with patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction (95% CI: 0.81, 0.97; p = 0.008) Conclusion: 60% of the participants clearly illustrated positive feedback and were more satisfied with their doctor-patient interactions. HbA1c was found to be significantly associated with patient satisfaction concerning doctor-patient interaction

Otolaryngology Resident Education and Perceptions of e-cigarettes

Objective: To date, there are no reports of otolaryngology residents’ knowledge and confidence in discussing e-cigarette use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate otolaryngology resident e-cigarette knowledge and confidence in counseling patients on e-cigarette use. Study Design: Cross-sectional national survey Setting: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education otolaryngology residents in the United States. Methods: US otolaryngology residents were distributed surveys electronically in September 2020. Results: A total of 150 participants replied for a response rate of 8.88%. The majority, 93.10% have not received formal education on e-cigarettes during their residency training. The most common resource of e-cigarette information overall was social media (78.46%). Within academia, the most common resources of e-cigarette education were patient interactions (63.16%) and colleagues (54.74%). Patients commonly inquire residents about e-cigarettes for smoking cessation (85.07%) and their long-term health effects (83.58%). Almost 67% of residents rarely or never ask patients about e-cigarette use. Only 4.35% of residents are not confident discussing traditional cigarette use, while 58.70% are not confident discussing e-cigarettes. Conclusion: Otolaryngology residents have not received formal education in e-cigarettes and are not confident discussing e-cigarettes with their patients. This highlights the need for e-cigarette education during otolaryngology residency to improve patient e-cigarette counseling.