Comparing in-person, video, and telephonic medical interpretation
Craig Locatis1, Deborah Williamson, Carrie Gould-Kabler
1Office of High Performance Computing & Communications, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. locatis@nlm.nih.gov
Journal of General Internal Medicine
|January 29, 2010
Summary
Remote medical interpretation services via video and phone were evaluated against in-person services. While patients rated all methods equally, providers and interpreters preferred in-person or video interpretation over phone-based services.
Area of Science:
- Medical Interpretation
- Telehealth
- Healthcare Communication
Background:
- Trained interpreters enhance medical interpretation compared to ad hoc services.
- Effectiveness of remote interpretation, particularly via video, remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare remote medical interpretation services (telephone and videoconference) with in-person services.
- To assess patient, provider, and interpreter perceptions of interpretation quality.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-randomized control study involving 241 Spanish-speaking patients, 24 health providers, and 7 interpreters.
- Data collection included standardized scales, free-text comments, interviews, and time analysis.
- All participants independently rated the quality of clinical encounters.
Main Results:
- Patients rated all interpretation methods (in-person, video, phone) similarly.
- Providers and interpreters rated in-person interpretation significantly higher than remote methods.
- Providers and interpreters showed a preference for video conferencing over telephone interpretation.
Conclusions:
- Patients perceive medical interpretation services favorably regardless of the modality.
- Healthcare providers and interpreters favor in-person or video interpretation, expressing concerns about remote methods.
- Videoconferencing is preferred over telephone interpretation, though shorter phone interview times warrant further investigation into potential miscommunication.
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