Language Lifeline - Medical Translation App

Sponsor

Carle Illinois College of Medicine: Elizabeth Woodburn, Kitan Akinosho 

Student Team

Master of Engineering: Nick Souligne
Undergraduates: Arjun Reddigari, Stephanie Slowik, Elisabeth Martin, Shweta Khorana

Description

There will always be a need for formal translators (video, phone, or in-person) for intricate discussions with patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). However, there are many daily interactions of staff with patients where these don't get used, through some combination of staff not thinking they're necessary and/or not wanting to deal with the process of obtaining them. Staff may overestimate the English comprehension of patients when they ask basic questions and receive expected yes/no answers, and patients are often too polite to correct them or ask for a translator. Providers utilizing their own basic language skills may also incorrectly assume that “patients understand the information exchanged based on nonverbal clues, such as nodding or smiling” (AHRQ). This can lead to unintended consequences on optimal patient care.

We propose a solution that is modeled after the adaptive communication devices given to children with speech/language/developmental delays. They are pre-loaded with a selection of phrases, in a way that requires very little maneuvering through menus. In this case, the device could be set up for a specific language, and the pre-translated phrases displayed on the screen in text, audio, or pictographs (in case the user has low reading literacy). Basic patient phrases would include: "I need to urinate," or "my pain is getting worse," or "I would like to speak with you via the interpreter." Further, basic staff phrases such as: "I will send in your nurse to help with that," or "I need to take your blood pressure now," or “is there family I can call for you?” would also be preloaded.

This project received an ASTM International Project Grant Award.

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