Providers’ Perceptions of Medical Interpreters: Exploring the "Bigger Picture"

• In Event: 030 - Regular Session. Health Care and Care Delivery

Abstract

Patients’ ability to understand and effectively communicate health information improves disease prevention, self-management of illness, adoption of healthy behaviors and acting on important public health information. However, patients who have limited English proficiency (LEP) are increasingly disadvantaged. Previous studies have spotlighted the benefit of medical interpreter services in bridging the health communication chasm between patients and providers. This qualitative study, focusing on medical interpreter utilization within the obstetrical and neonatal services, provides perspectives from an encompassing sample of health care providers to offer a broader understanding of health care providers’ perspectives of the role of medical interpreter services and LEP patient care. A series of five focus groups were conducted with postpartum nurses (9), labor and delivery/triage nurses (3), OBGYN resident physicians (11), NICU nurses (3), and faculty physicians, nurse practitioners and midwives (10). The data suggest that barriers to the utilization of professional medical interpreters can be categorized on institutional- and individual-levels. It is argued that perceptions of interpreter services are merely one piece of a much larger puzzle that may impact the provision of effective care to a growing culturally diverse patient population. Health care organizations must identify ways they can not only foster and sustain a culture of care that recognizes the needs of their LEP patient population but also build an infrastructure that is sensitive to providers’ needs as well. Simply adding additional communication-based resources may not have a significant impact on providers’ attitudes and behaviors or the overarching organizational culture.

Authors

• Barret Michalec, University of Delaware

• Ann V. Bell, University of Delaware