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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Firoozeh Molaparast Vali, PhD and Annette Lombardo, MPH. Research Department, New Jersey Hospital Association/HRET, 760 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08543, 609-275-4146, fvali@njha.com

New Jersey's minority/immigrant populations have grown dramatically and about 873,000 of these residents are reported to be limited English proficient. To ensure safe and high quality healthcare for all patients, it is critical that hospitals provide LEP patients with access to effective communication services. As part of legislative mandates and regulatory requirements, these services must be provided based on hospitals' resources and numbers of LEP individuals encountered. NJHA's Interpreter/Translation Services Task Force was established in 2005 to evaluate current communication services provided by hospitals to LEP patients and examine strategies for successful development/implementation of standardized information, training and resources to support hospitals. As part of these efforts, all New Jersey hospitals were surveyed on their current policies, practices, difficulties in arranging interpreter services, barriers and needs for resources. Of 64 participating hospitals (67% response rate), most reported assessing patients' communication needs at registration and recording their preferences in medical charts. Services most frequently provided were telephonic interpretation and signage. Most hospitals reported arranging for interpreter services in under 30 minutes. Major perceived difficulties were insufficient availability of qualified interpreters (mainly during off-shifts), scarce funding for providing language assistance, inadequate staff training and lack of written materials in major languages. Findings were used to develop an assessment tool to help hospitals identify gaps in policies, procedures and staff training, and to recommend design of standardized training/educational programs, establishment of a centralized pool of interpreters for timely access and cost savings and working with Medicaid/Medicare/commercial plans to seek reimbursement for these services.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to

• Describe the communication needs of minorities, immigrants and limited English proficient patients.
• List current hospital services and use of technologies serving LEP patients.
• Identify hospital difficulties in arranging interpreter services for LEP patients.
• Explain hospital needs and gaps in providing communication and language services.
• Describe perceived types of tools and resources, including cultural competency trainings, that can support hospitals’ efforts to serve LEP patients.
• Discuss the findings and recommendations for the next steps to ensure improved communication services provided by hospitals to LEP patients.

Keywords: Access and Services, Ethnic Minorities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No