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Interpreter Services

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Diversity and Inclusion in Quality Patient Care

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Abstract

Emergency Department (ED) physicians are routinely confronted with problems associated with language barriers. It is important for emergency health care providers and the health system to strive for cultural competency when communicating with members of an increasingly diverse society. Solutions include professional interpretation, telephone interpretation, the use of bilingual staff members, the use of ad hoc interpreters, and more recently the use of mobile computer technology at the bedside. Each method carries a specific set of advantages and disadvantages. Although professionally trained medical interpreters offer improved communication, better patient care, and overall cost savings, they are underutilized due to their perceived inefficiency. Ultimately, the solution will vary for every ED depending on the population served and available resources. For some patients, a qualified interpreter is simply not available due to institutional practices or the rarity of the patient’s particular language. Furthermore, the best translation modality may vary depending on the patients’ characteristics and preferences (age, socioeconomic status, comfort level with technology, etc.) Accessibility of the multiple interpretation options outlined above and solid support and commitment from hospital institutions are necessary to provide proper and culturally competent care for patients. Appropriate communications inclusive of interpreter services are essential for culturally competent provider/health systems and overall improved patient care.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Yu-Feng Yvonne Chan M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Section of Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Kumar Alagappan M.D.

  3. Division of Emergency Medicine, Ben Taub General Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Saadiyah Bilal M.D.

  4. University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Jan Hargrave B.S., M.S.

  5. Emergency Department, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Elmhurst, NY, USA

    Suzanne Bentley M.D., M.P.H.

  6. Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Marcus L. Martin M.D.

Authors
  1. Yu-Feng Yvonne Chan M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Kumar Alagappan M.D.
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  3. Saadiyah Bilal M.D.
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  4. Jan Hargrave B.S., M.S.
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  5. Suzanne Bentley M.D., M.P.H.
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  6. Marcus L. Martin M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu-Feng Yvonne Chan M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Emergency Medicine University of Virginia School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine, Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

    Marcus L. Martin

  2. Assistant Dean Clinical Education & Student Affairs Emory University School of Medicine, Professor of Emergency Medicine Vice Chair – Administrative Affairs, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Sheryl L. Heron

  3. Director of Diversity Department of Medicine Section of Emergency Medicine Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, Professor of Emergency Medicine Director of Research, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Lisa Moreno-Walton

  4. University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

    Anna Walker Jones

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Chan, YF.Y., Alagappan, K., Bilal, S., Hargrave, J., Bentley, S., Martin, M.L. (2016). Interpreter Services. In: Martin, M., Heron, S., Moreno-Walton, L., Jones, A. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Quality Patient Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22840-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22840-2_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-22839-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22840-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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