DP07: LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, EXPECTATIONS, AND PREFERENCES IN SOUTH FLORIDA: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AIMED AT BETTER UNDERSTANDING OUR PATIENT DEMOGRAPHIC IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT LANGUAGE BARRIERS IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING
Gordon J Hubbell, DO
HCA Florida Westside/Northwest Anesthesia
Introduction: Language barriers in healthcare present a simple yet significant challenge that affect the quality of patient care, patient safety, and overall health outcomes daily. As populations become increasingly diverse due to globalization, the need to address these barriers has become more important than ever. The tools we currently have at our disposal to overcome these barriers include in person or remote translator services, however these services may be cumbersome and underutilized especially in urgent medical situations. In this language study we focus on the increasingly diverse geographic area of South Florida using an in-hospital survey conducted on pre-surgical patients to assess language preferences and experiences in the healthcare setting. This study explores the impact of language barriers in healthcare, the consequences they have on patient care, and the potential solutions to mitigate these issues.
Methods: A survey was given to patients to fill out either in the preoperative setting or inpatient setting. 100 patients participated in this survey and were chosen if a language barrier was present during the initial interview. The survey was offered in either English, Spanish, or French Creole depending on the patient’s preference. The questions were asked on a scaled scoring system and included questions about native language, their English proficiency, their expectations for healthcare providers language proficiencies, and how often they’ve been used/been offered translation services.
Results: Of the 100 participants surveyed in this study, 9% listed English, 47% listed Spanish, 38 % listed French Creole, and 6% listed Other (Including Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese) as their native language. Some key data that stood out includes that of the 100 patients surveyed the majority were native Spanish speaking, followed closely by French Creole. Almost ¼ of the patients surveyed reported no proficiency in English and 85% of the participants preferred their healthcare provider speak to them in their native language. Over ½ of participants believe their healthcare provider should be able to speak multiple languages, with 48% strongly agreeing their provider should be proficient in their native language. 46% of patients surveyed reported the forms they were asked to sign in the hospital were not in their preferred language, and only 38% of participants reported they were offered translation services every time they needed it.
Conclusion: Overall this study highlights some important aspects of the diverse patient population we have in South Florida and the language expectations and barriers that currently exist. This study demonstrates that our patient population is diverse and the levels of English proficiency vary widely but include many patients with no English understanding. It also points out that the majority of patients may not understand what paperwork they are signing. Translation services are an excellent resource that this study thankfully demonstrates the majority of patients have reported they’ve been offered, however there are still many who rarely or never receive these services.