Diversity Programs and Strategy Hub, Population Health, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Australian Institute of Health Service Management, School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2024 Oct;35(4):1184-1193. doi: 10.1002/hpja.850. Epub 2024 Feb 25.
Patients with low English proficiency (LEP) often require interpreter services in health care, however, their usage remains low. This study aimed to explore the barriers to accessing interpreter services and suggests ways services can be improved in hospitals.
We conducted focus groups with clinicians and a retrospective audit of patient records. The clinicians were recruited from the inpatient wards and Emergency Department in a Sydney hospital, August 2022. The focus group discussion explored clinicians' experiences using an interpreter, and ways to improve access to the service. It was recorded, transcribed and coded thematically using Braun and Clarke's (2006) 6-step framework. The patient record data were linked with the interpreter service booking data to determine whether patients flagged as requiring an interpreter on admission were provided with the service.
Two focus groups were conducted with clinicians (N = 9 in total). Long wait times for telephone interpreters, an inflexible booking system, and low availability of in-person interpreters were identified as the barriers. The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted in-person service provision.
Some systemic barriers including an inflexible booking process and long wait times for immediate interpreter services were identified. The low use of interpreter services is attributed to the difficulties accessing the service and poor documentation in patient records. SO WHAT?: Greater availability of in-person interpreter services, an upgraded booking system, and effective implementation the NSW Health Standard Procedures for Working with Health Care Interpreters will address some of these barriers.
英语水平较低的患者（LEP）在医疗保健中经常需要口译服务，但使用率仍然较低。本研究旨在探讨获取口译服务的障碍，并提出改善医院服务的方法。
我们对临床医生进行了焦点小组讨论，并对患者记录进行了回顾性审核。临床医生是 2022 年 8 月从悉尼一家医院的住院病房和急诊室招募的。焦点小组讨论探讨了临床医生使用口译员的经验，以及改善获取服务的途径。使用 Braun 和 Clarke（2006）的 6 步框架对其进行了记录、转录和主题编码。将患者记录数据与口译服务预订数据相关联，以确定入院时被标记为需要口译员的患者是否提供了该服务。
进行了两次临床医生焦点小组讨论（共 9 人）。发现电话口译员的等待时间长、预订系统缺乏灵活性以及现场口译员的可用性低是障碍。COVID-19 大流行也影响了现场服务的提供。
确定了一些系统障碍，包括预订即时口译员服务的过程缺乏灵活性和等待时间长。口译员服务使用率低归因于获取服务的困难和患者记录中的记录不佳。
增加现场口译员服务的可用性、升级预订系统以及有效实施新南威尔士州卫生署与医疗口译员合作的标准程序，将解决其中一些障碍。
