The Impact of Medical Interpreter Services on the Quality of Health Care: A Systematic Review

Twenty-one million Americans are limited in English proficiency (LEP), but little is known about the effect of medical interpreter services on health care quality. Asystematic literature review was conducted on the impact of interpreter services on quality of care. Five database searches yielded 2,6...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical Care Research and Review 2005-06, Vol.62 (3), p.255-299
Main Author: Flores, Glenn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Barriers
Clinical outcomes
Communication
Communication Barriers
Doctor-Patient relationships
English language
Ethnic minorities
Health care
Humans
Interpreters
Patient Satisfaction
Physician patient relationships
Physician-Patient Relations
Quality of care
Quality of Health Care
Quality of service
Services
Systematic review
Translating
United States
USA
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Summary:Twenty-one million Americans are limited in English proficiency (LEP), but little is known about the effect of medical interpreter services on health care quality. Asystematic literature review was conducted on the impact of interpreter services on quality of care. Five database searches yielded 2,640 citations and a final database of 36 articles, after applying exclusion criteria. Multiple studies document that quality of care is compromised when LEP patients need but do not get interpreters. LEP patients' quality of care is inferior, and more interpreter errors occur with untrained ad hoc interpreters. Inadequate interpreter services can have serious consequences for patients with mental disorders. Trained professional interpreters and bilingual health care providers positively affect LEP patients' satisfaction, quality of care, and outcomes. Evidence suggests that optimal communication, patient satisfaction, and outcomes and the fewest interpreter errors occur when LEP patients have access to trained professional interpreters or bilingual providers.
ISSN:1077-5587
1552-6801
DOI:10.1177/1077558705275416