Interpreter Use in an Academic Pediatric Hospital

A lack of proper medical interpretation has been shown to worsen quality of care, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction. This study aimed to describe how faculty and residents communicate with patients who prefer a language other than English across inpatient and outpatient settings at an academic children's hospital, as well as describe the barriers to interpretation. A survey of pediatric faculty and residents was conducted to assess interpreter use and barriers to use within this hospital. Seventy faculty and 21 residents responded. Providers and trainees across a variety of settings reported high positive attitudes toward interpreters and high use of interpreters to perform most job tasks. Most providers in all groups (75-95%) reported interpreter availability as a barrier. These findings highlight the need for increased access to interpreters in all settings to ensure proper communication with patients and families.