Spanish-speaking parents of patients reported higher levels of satisfaction when an interpreter was present in the room than telephone interpretation, according to data to be presented at the 2014 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting and covered by Healio.
Researchers analyzed the parent satisfaction of pediatric patients aged 12 years or younger during emergency department visits. Parents of patients were told whether they would receive in-person or telephone interpretation during their visit. They then completed surveys prior the encounter to address expectations and after the encounter to address satisfaction.
The in-person group had more interpreted events from the physician while in the emergency department than the telephone group, meaning more moments of physician-patient interaction. Length of stay in the ED and time to first interpretation was the same for both groups.
The surveys revealed overall satisfaction with the hospital encounter was similar, but respondents in the in-person interpretation group reported higher satisfaction than respondents in the telephone interpretation group.
Researchers concluded that while in-person versus telephone interpretation did not have a significant effect on patient expectations, families receiving in-person interpretation were more satisfied with provider interactions.
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