Expanding Interpreter Role to Include Advocacy and Care Coordination Improves Efficiency and Leads to High Patient and Provider Satisfaction

Expanding Interpreter Role to Include Advocacy and Care Coordination Improves Efficiency and Leads to High Patient and Provider Satisfaction

Snapshot
Summary
The Limited English Proficiency Patient Family Advocate serves as a permanent part of the Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota hematology/oncology care team, providing traditional interpretation services and serving as an advocate for the patient and family across the continuum of care. The advocate is accessible through permanent workspaces on the hematology/oncology unit and outpatient clinic, allowing her to develop ongoing relationships with the family, ensure patient/family understanding of treatment regimens, and act as a consistent liaison between the family and caregivers. The program enhanced the efficiency and productivity of interpreters, cutting the length of the average interpreter encounter (the time from interpreter arrival to conclusion of the visit) in half, while generating high levels of patient and provider satisfaction.

Evidence Rating
Moderate: The evidence consists of pre- and post-implementation comparisons of the average length of an interpretation encounter, along with post-implementation data on patient/family and provider satisfaction.

Developing Organizations
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

Date First Implemented
2006
December

Patient Population
Age > Infant (1-23 months); Preschooler (2-5 years); Child (6-12 years); Race and Ethnicity > Hispanic/Latino-Latina; Vulnerable Populations > Children; Immigrants; Medically or socially complex; Non-English speaking/limited English proficiency; Racial minorities

open here, please:
http://www.innovations.ahrq.gov/content.aspx?id=2726