title: The Effect of Language on the Discharge Process in a Pediatric Emergency Department.
abstract: Health disparities linked to language have been clearly described in the literature. However, little is known about potential disparities in care related to language in the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED). This was a cross-sectional observational study using convenience sampling of English and Spanish PED discharges before and after electronic medical record (EMR) implementation. There were minimal differences between English and Spanish-speaking families in interactional elements and basic dialogue during discharge. Yet Spanish-speaking families had longer wait times to discharge once the decision to discharge was made. Interestingly, implementation of EMR added efficiency in terms of seeing a physician after arrival and equalizing the discharge instruction process between both groups. Contrary to literature on language-related health disparities, our study revealed minimal differences between English and Spanish-speaking families specifically in the PED discharge process.
authors.affiliation: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Gerardo Antonio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Olivarez
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd. Mailstop #113, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA.
authors.forename: Phung K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.affiliation: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. dliberman@chla.usc.edu.|Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd. Mailstop #113, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA. dliberman@chla.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Danica Brown
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7626-2160
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Liberman
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010372:Pediatrics; D013997:Time Factors; D014175:Translating; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: Discharge; Disparities; Electronic medical record; Language barriers; Pediatric emergency department