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Revolutionizing Volunteer Interpreter Services: An Evaluation of an Innovative Medical Interpreter Education Program

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

In our ever-increasingly multicultural, multilingual society, medical interpreters serve an important role in the provision of care. Though it is known that using untrained interpreters leads to decreased quality of care for limited English proficiency patients, because of a short supply of professionals and a lack of formalized, feasible education programs for volunteers, community health centers and internal medicine practices continue to rely on untrained interpreters.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and formally evaluate a novel medical interpreter education program that encompasses major tenets of interpretation, tailored to the needs of volunteer medical interpreters.

DESIGN

One-armed, quasi-experimental retro-pre–post study using survey ratings and feedback correlated by assessment scores to determine educational intervention effects.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-eight students; 24 Spanish, nine Mandarin, and five Vietnamese. The majority had prior interpreting experience but no formal medical interpreter training.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Students completed retrospective pre-test and post-test surveys measuring confidence in and perceived knowledge of key skills of interpretation. Primary outcome measures were a 10-point Likert scale for survey questions of knowledge, skills, and confidence, written and oral assessments of interpreter skills, and qualitative evidence of newfound knowledge in written reflections.

RESULTS

Analyses showed a statistically significant (P <0.001) change of about two points in mean self-ratings on knowledge, skills, and confidence, with large effect sizes (d > 0.8). The second half of the program was also quantitatively and qualitatively shown to be a vital learning experience, resulting in 18 % more students passing the oral assessments; a 19 % increase in mean scores for written assessments; and a newfound understanding of interpreter roles and ways to navigate them.

CONCLUSIONS

This innovative program was successful in increasing volunteer interpreters’ skills and knowledge of interpretation, as well as confidence in own abilities. Additionally, the program effectively taught how to navigate the roles of the interpreter to maintain clear communication.

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Acknowledgements

Contributors

We gratefully acknowledge Johanna Parker, MA, Margarita Bekker, AHI (CCHI), BA, and Natalia Becerra, MA, the instructors of the program, for sharing their passion for the medical interpreter profession and vast experience with our students through their enthusiastic instruction and mentoring. We are also deeply grateful to Stanford Interpreter Services for their mentorship and tireless support of the program. We also thank Jie Li, PhD, of the Center of Excellence for Diversity in Medical Education of Stanford School of Medicine, for her valuable input in survey review and editing, as well as advice on program evaluation strategies. We further extend our gratitude to Sylvia Bereknyei, DrPH, MS for her generous advice and assistance in editing and review of the manuscript. Finally, we thank Raymond Balise, PhD, of the Center for Health Research and Policy of Stanford School of Medicine, for his help with statistical analysis and advice on data presentation.

Funders

The costs of instruction of the Bridging the Gap curriculum and program costs of instructor and coach time were generously donated to the Cardinal Free Clinics by Stanford Hospital Guest Services and Stanford Interpreter Services (SIS). The study itself did not receive financial support from any individual or organization.

Prior Presentations

2012 WGEA/WGSA/WOSR/WAAHP AAMC Western Regional Conference, April 1, 2012. The 11th Annual Community Health Symposium, Stanford School of Medicine, Office of Community Health, November 8, 2012. The Society of Student-Run Free Clinics (SSRFC) 2013 Conference, January 26, 2013.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they do not have any conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Oswaldo Hasbún Avalos BS(c), Kaylin Pennington BA & Lars Osterberg MD, MPH

  2. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA

    Lars Osterberg MD, MPH

  3. VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, USA

    Lars Osterberg MD, MPH

Authors
  1. Oswaldo Hasbún Avalos BS(c)
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  2. Kaylin Pennington BA
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  3. Lars Osterberg MD, MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oswaldo Hasbún Avalos BS(c).

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Hasbún Avalos, O., Pennington, K. & Osterberg, L. Revolutionizing Volunteer Interpreter Services: An Evaluation of an Innovative Medical Interpreter Education Program. J GEN INTERN MED 28, 1589–1595 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-013-2502-5

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