Satisfaction of Limited English-Proficient Patients With Phone Interpretation Services Compared to In-Person Interpreters: A Randomized Controlled Trial (SIPI)

Urogynecological Office Visits and Patient Satisfaction of Limited English-Proficient Patients With Phone Interpreter Services Compared to In-Person Interpreters: Randomized Controlled Trial (SIPI)

The aim of the study is to determine if In-person interpreters increases patient satisfaction of URGYN office visits compared to the use of phone interpreter services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pelvic Floor Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Interpretation Modality: In Person; Other: Interpretation Modality: Telephonic

Detailed Description

This study is a randomized controlled trial. Patients presenting to the UMass Memorial UROGYN clinic will be screened for eligibility using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. LEP patients will be identified as patients that initiate conversation in a non-English language and are only able to communicate adequately regarding their medical problem in a non-English language.

After patients have been seen for their scheduled office visit, they will be invited to participate in the study. Once the patient has agreed to participate in the study the participant will be randomized. Study assignment will be revealed using sequentially numbered sealed opaque envelopes. Randomization will be performed using software and a block randomization scheme to yield a 50% chance of having an in-person interpreter.

Those assigned to the control group will receive phone translation services and the experimental group will have in person interpreters.

At the subsequent visit, demographic information will be collected and patients will then receive interpretation services from the phone or an in-person interpreter.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 106
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, 01605
      • U Mass Memorial Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• LEP speaking Spanish and Portuguese female patients presenting to the U Mass UROGYN clinic with or without Ad-hoc interpreters
• Spanish and Portuguese speaking female patients with LEP presenting to the U Mass UROGYN clinic for an office visit of any type

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to provide consent
• Under 18 years of age
• Pregnant women
• Prisoners
• LEP subjects who decline interpreter services
• Non -Spanish or Non - Portuguese speaking subjects
• Patients with cognitive impairment
• Visually or hearing impaired patients
• Patients not requiring a follow up appointment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Interpretation Modality: In person; Participants assigned to this group will use an in person interpreter for the duration of the UROGYN office visit	Other: Interpretation Modality: In Person; Use of In-Person interpretation support for LEP participant during clinical appointment
Active Comparator: Interpretation Modality: Telephonic; Participants assigned to this group will use a phone interpreter for the duration of the UROGYN office visit	Other: Interpretation Modality: Telephonic; Use of telephonic interpretation support for LEP participant during clinical appointment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient Satisfaction	Patient satisfaction will be measured by a 14 - item questionnaire. The questionnaire was created, validated, and used in a previous study from the field of Emergency medicine. There are 3 subscales assessing patient satisfaction with interpreter, nursing, and physician. Satisfaction with interpreters was calculated using the summation index of 4 items. Satisfaction with physician and nursing communication was measure by a summated index of 5 items that measure increasing level of satisfaction with a likert scale. Answers ranged from 1 to 4 where 4 equaled "strongly agree" and 1 equaled "strongly disagree". All items were weighted on a 100 point scale to facilitate interpretation of the means. A lower score means less satisfaction/greater dissatisfaction and a higher score indicates more satisfaction/less dissatisfaction.	Immediately assessed after office visit

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Worcester
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Michael Flynn, MD, UMass Worcester

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Taylor DL, Sierra T, Maheshwari D, Hall C, Leung K, Flynn M. Satisfaction With Telephone Versus In-Person Interpretation Services in Limited English-Proficient Urogynecology Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Jun 1;27(6):388-392. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000880.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 15, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 10, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): June 15, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 12, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): March 19, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 5, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 9, 2021
• Last Verified: March 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Access to health care; Quality Care; Interpretation services
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pregnancy Complications; Pelvic Floor Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: H00013745

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No