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Language-Related Safety Disparities Following a Health Literacy-Informed Rounds Intervention
H Shonna Yin1,2, Alisa Khan3,4, Alexander F Glick5,6
1Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York.
Hospital Pediatrics
|June 22, 2026
Summary
A new communication intervention significantly reduced preventable adverse events for hospitalized children whose parents had limited English comfort. This patient safety improvement narrowed disparities, enhancing care for diverse families.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric patient safety
- Health communication
- Health equity
Background:
- Disparities in preventable adverse events (AEs) exist for hospitalized children whose parents have limited English comfort (LCE).
- Structured communication interventions may improve patient safety and family experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a health literacy-informed, family-centered rounds intervention on AEs and family experience in children with parents having LCE.
- To determine if the intervention narrowed existing disparities in patient safety.
Main Methods:
- A seven-center prospective before-and-after study.
- Included hospitalized children (<18 years) and their parents/caregivers.
- AEs assessed via medical record review, clinician reports, and family interviews; family experience via surveys.
- Multivariable regression analyses controlled for confounders.
Main Results:
- Pre-intervention, children of parents with LCE had over double the rate of preventable AEs (18.8% vs 7.6%).
- Post-intervention, no significant difference in AE rates between groups (6.4% vs 5.3%).
- Family experience improved, but disparities in nurse communication persisted.
Conclusions:
- Implementing a family-centered rounds communication intervention narrowed patient safety disparities.
- The intervention shows promise for improving care equity in pediatric hospital settings.
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