Access to hospital interpreter services for limited English proficient patients in New Jersey: a statewide evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
We surveyed New Jersey (NJ) hospitals to assess current language services and identify policy recommendations on meeting limited English proficiency (LEP) patients' needs.


METHODS
Survey with 37 questions regarding hospital/patient features, interpreter services, and resources/policies needed to provide quality interpreter services.


RESULTS
Sixty-seven hospitals responded (55% response rate). Most NJ hospitals have no interpreter services department, 80% provide no staff training on working with interpreters, 31% lack multilingual signs, and 19% offer no written translation services. Only 3% of hospitals have full-time interpreters, a ratio of 1 interpreter:240,748 LEP NJ residents. Most hospitals stated third-party reimbursement for interpreters would be beneficial, by reducing costs, adding interpreters, meeting population growth, and improving communication.


CONCLUSIONS
Most NJ hospitals have no full-time interpreters, interpreter services department, or staff training on working with interpreters, and deficiencies exist in hospital signage and translation services. Most NJ hospitals stated third-party reimbursement for interpreter services would be beneficial.
Flores
Glenn
G
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Glenn.Flores@UTSouthwestern.edu
Torres
Sylvia
S
Holmes
Linda Janet
LJ
Salas-Lopez
Debbie
D
Youdelman
Mara K
MK
Tomany-Korman
Sandra C
SC
D003144:Communication Barriers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics; D007802:Language; D019303:Multilingualism; D009515:New Jersey; D013192:Staff Development; D013689:Telephone; D014175:Translating