Cost Effectiveness of Language Services in Hospital Emergency Departments (EDs)

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Language Discordance
• Interventions: Behavioral: Professional medical interpreter

• Registration Number: NCT01041014
• Lead Sponsor: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

Brief Summary

Numerous studies suggest that the use of in-person, professionally trained medical interpreters can reduce health care costs associated with diagnosing and treating patients with limited English proficiency. However, few studies have specifically addressed the question of the cost-effectiveness of language services in health care settings. This study used a randomized controlled study design to compare the cost-effectiveness of using professional interpreters with Spanish-speaking patients seen in hospital emergency departments (EDs) versus using the usual language services available to these patients. The main goal of the study was to estimate the effect that professional interpreters have on resource utilization and patient/provider satisfaction in the ED compared to the language services usually offered in these settings. Our hypothesis was that use of trained interpreters would lead to more cost-effective provision of ED services.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-10
• Primary Completion: 2009-04
• Status Verified: 2009-12
• Study First Submitted: 2009-12-28
• Study First Submitted QC: 2009-12-29
• Study First Posted: 2009-12-30
• Study Completion: 2010-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-09-29
• Last Update Posted: 2015-10-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 447

Inclusion Criteria

• limited English proficient (LEP) Spanish-speaking patients
• adults aged 18 or older
• LEP parents of children seen in emergency departments

Exclusion Criteria

• cognitively impaired, comatose, or traumatized patients
• healthy volunteers
• prisoners
• hospital employees

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Professional medical interpreter	Professional medical interpreter	Limited English proficient Spanish-speaking patients seen in the treatment arm were provided with the services of a professionally-trained medical interpreter to facilitate communication between the patient and emergency department staff

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cost-effectiveness of in-person interpreters versus other language services	June 2009

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Satisfaction with ability to communicate	June 2009

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital; 🇺🇸 New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

CentraState Healthcare System; 🇺🇸 Freehold, New Jersey, United States