Communicating with Patients and Families with Limited English Proficiency in the Home Hospice Setting: A National Survey of U.S. Hospice Providers
Milagros D. Silva, Ronald D. Adelman, Irina Mindlis, Angela L. Novas, Amy S. Tucci, M. Carrington ReidBackground:
Language barriers lead to disparities at the end of life (EOL). How providers work with medical interpreters and meet the needs of patients and families with limited English proficiency (LEP) enrolled in hospice remains poorly understood.
Objectives:
To investigate home hospice providers’ experiences when communicating with patients and families with LEP, report the frequency of use of medical interpretation, and ascertain the strategies utilized by respondents to communicate with patients and families with LEP.
Design:
Cross-sectional survey of U.S. based home hospice providers delivering home hospice care.
Results:
A total of 138 surveys were collected. The response rate could not be calculated due to the survey dissemination method. On average 22% of the respondents reported caring for patients/families with LEP. Over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) was the most frequent professional interpreter modality utilized to communicate with patients/families with LEP (81%). Adult family members and hospice staff, who spoke the same language as the patient, were also commonly utilized by respondents (83% and 66%, respectively). Provision of video remote interpreting written hospice and bereavement materials in various non-English languages was viewed as a beneficial interventions for this patient population.
Conclusion:
OPI was most frequently utilized by home hospice providers. Having bilingual hospice staff and non-English language bereavement materials was viewed as an important strategy to support patients and families with LEP.