OBJECTIVE

Assess effects of a bedside interpreter-phone intervention on hospital discharge preparedness among patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).

METHODS

Mixed-methods study compared patient-reported discharge preparedness and knowledge of medications and follow-up appointments among 189 Chinese- and Spanish-speakers before (n=94) and after (n=95) bedside interpreter-phone implementation, and examined nurse and resident-physician interpreter-phone utilization through focus groups.

RESULTS

Pre-post discharge preparedness (Care Transitions Measure mean 77.2 vs. 78.5; p=0.62) and patient-reported knowledge of follow-up appointments, discharge medication administration and side effects did not differ significantly. Pre-post knowledge of medication purpose increased in bivariate (88% vs. 97%, p=0.02) and propensity score adjusted analyses [aOR (adjusted odds ratio), 4.49; 95% CI, 1.09-18.4]. Nurses and physicians reported using interpreter-phones infrequently for discharge communication, preferring in-person interpreters for complex discharges and direct communication with family for routine discharges. Post-implementation patients reported continued use of ad-hoc family interpreters (43%) or no interpretation at all (22%).

CONCLUSION

Implementation of a bedside interpreter-phone systems intervention did not consistently improve patient-reported measures of discharge preparedness, possibly due to limited uptake during discharges.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Hospital systems must better understand clinician preferences for discharge communication to successfully increase professional interpretation and shift culture away from using family members as interpreters.