"They really trust us!": Medical Interpreter's Roles and Experiences in an Integrated Primary Care Clinic

This study describes medical interpreters' experiences with behavioral health (BH) services in a primary care clinic. Focus group data with medical interpreters representing multiple languages was analyzed using hybrid inductive-deductive thematic analysis. Themes related to interpreter roles were: (1) case management, (2) patient-interpreter relationship, and (3) patient-provider liaison. Themes related to barriers and facilitators to interpreter-mediated BH care were: (1) cultural factors, (2) patient-provider interactions, (3) BH-specific considerations, and (4) clinic factors. Results illustrate ways that interpreters directly (e.g., interpreter-mediated services) and indirectly (e.g., relationship building) support care. The interpreter-patient relationship reportedly helped improve patient attitudes and buy-in for BH.