Influence of Medical Interpreters on the Healthcare Experiences of Hospitalized Spanish-Speaking Patients

Abstract

Introduction: The perspective of hospitalized patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) in US hospitals interacting with language-discordant healthcare providers remains understudied. Our goal is to examine the inpatient experiences of Spanish-speaking patients and offer suggestions to improve patient satisfaction. Methods: A survey was administered to Spanish-speaking patients using interpreters during their admission to medicine at an urban, academic hospital. Qualitative thematic analysis of responses was conducted. Results: Thirty-six patients completed the survey. Despite limited use of interpreters, the majority of patients rated interpretation services as excellent, reported high level of involvement in care and respect of their opinions, and preferred video remote interpreting and in-person interpreters. Language barrier and cost affected patients’ comfort level requesting health care services. The mean patient satisfaction score was 9.64. Patients suggested an increase in bilingual personnel, improved access to interpreters, specifically in-person. Conclusion: Although highly satisfied, patients reported inconsistent use of interpretation services in the inpatient setting and suboptimal access. Hospitals should strive to provide language-concordant care and patient-centered interpretation. Patients’ understanding of their health care rights needs better assessment to ease the inpatient experience. Further research is needed to estimate the regard for autonomy by Spanish-speaking patients in their own care.