A comparison of the influence of hospital-trained, ad hoc, and telephone interpreters on perceived satisfaction of limited English-proficient parents presenting to a pediatric emergency department.
BACKGROUND
Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the United States with a significant percentage of this population having limited English proficiency.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether mode of interpretation influences satisfaction of limited English-proficient parents presenting to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department.


METHODS
One hundred eighty parents of patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department were surveyed after receiving services from one of the following interpreters: hospital-trained, ad hoc, or telephone. An English-proficient comparison group of 60 parents of any ethnicity was also surveyed (total N = 240).


RESULTS
Parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with hospital-trained interpreters. While no significant difference was found in overall visit satisfaction, there were significant differences in several other outcome variables. When hospital-trained interpreters were used, parents were significantly more satisfied (P < 0.001) with their physicians and nurses. With regard to the ability to communicate with pediatric emergency department personnel, parents using hospital-trained interpreters averaged significantly higher scores (P < 0.001) than the telephone group. Quality-of-care scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) for parents assigned to hospital-trained interpreters than for the other forms of interpretation. English-proficient parents scored highest in the following categories: ability to communicate, quality of care, and overall visit satisfaction. Parents using hospital-trained interpreters scored higher than English-proficient parents when questioned about physician and nursing satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital-trained interpreters are a valuable and needed resource to facilitate communication with limited English-proficient patients and families. Other interpretation services are useful but have limitations.
Garcia
Estevan A
EA
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Tacoma, WA, USA. ewj@drizzle.com
Roy
Lonnie C
LC
Okada
Pamela J
PJ
Perkins
Sebrina D
SD
Wiebe
Robert A
RA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003625:Data Collection; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010290:Parents; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013689:Telephone; D014175:Translating