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Challenges in Language Services: Identifying and Responding to Patients’ Needs

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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective Identify characteristics of hospital-based language services (LS), and describe practices of identifying patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and interpreter training. Participants Seventy-one hospitals applied to participate in a national initiative. Applicants were non-federal, acute care hospitals with substantial LEP populations, at least 10,000 discharges, and in-person interpreters. Methods Descriptive statistics were generated on language, collection of language data, LEP volume and service utilization, staffing and training requirements and organizational structure. The relationship between admissions and encounters was analyzed. Results Ninety percent of hospitals collect primary language data. Spanish is the most common language (93% of hospitals). We found no statistically significant correlation between admissions and encounters. Eighty-four percent require training. Eighty-nine percent have a designated LS department but no clear organizational home. Conclusions Hospital-based LS programs are facing challenges identifying patients with language needs, staffing and training a workforce, and creating an organizational identity. Need is not associated with utilization, suggesting that LS are not reaching patients.

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Acknowledgments

Support for the study comes from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed here are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation or its directors, officers, or staff.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Policy, The George Washington University Medical Center, 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC, 20037, USA

    Marsha Regenstein, Holly Mead & Jennifer Huang

  2. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Kathryn E. Muessig

Authors
  1. Marsha Regenstein
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  2. Holly Mead
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  3. Kathryn E. Muessig
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  4. Jennifer Huang
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Correspondence to Marsha Regenstein.

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Regenstein, M., Mead, H., Muessig, K.E. et al. Challenges in Language Services: Identifying and Responding to Patients’ Needs. J Immigrant Minority Health 11, 476–481 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9157-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9157-z

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