Effective communication in clinical encounters is dependent upon the exchange of accurate information between clinician and patient and the use of interpersonal skills that foster development of the patient-provider relationship and demonstrate understanding of the patient's social and cultural background. These skills are of critical importance in the diagnosis and management of hearing loss in children of Spanish-speaking families. While the provision of family friendly, culturally sensitive services to families of children with hearing loss can be challenging for audiologists and speech-language pathologists, the quality and satisfaction of these services is widely recognized as the cornerstone of patient satisfaction and improved outcomes. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore patient, audiologist, and interpreter satisfaction of the use of remote face-to-face language interpretation technologies in the context of audiology services. Parent participants rated each session regarding satisfaction with the communication exchange, audiology services, and the interpreting experience. Audiologists rated their satisfaction with the communication exchange, relationship with the parent, and experience with the interpreter. Interpreters rated their satisfaction with the logistics regarding the appointment, information exchange, and experience in working with the audiologist. Audiologists and interpreters were asked to identify what worked well and what challenges needed to be addressed. Data from this pilot study can be used to guide future efforts in providing high quality language interpretation services to Spanish-speaking families of young children who are at risk for or have been diagnosed with hearing loss.
Article
Satisfaction with Communication Using Remote Face-to-Face Language Interpretation Services with Spanish-Speaking Parents: A Pilot Study
Perspectives of Hearing and Hearing Disorders in Children
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2015
Disciplines
Abstract
Citation Information
Nicholson, N., Martin, P., & Muñoz, K. (September, 2015). Satisfaction with Communication Using Remote Face-to-Face Language Interpretation Services with Spanish-Speaking Parents: A Pilot Study. Perspectives of Hearing and Hearing Disorders in Children, 25(2), 71-83. doi:10.1044/hhdc25.2.70