In this issue of Hospital Pediatrics, Rajbhandari et al1 report their findings from a national sample of hospitalists, demonstrating that use of interpreters in formal inpatient communication processes such as family-centered rounds and discharge planning remains low despite the availability of interpreter services in multiple modalities (phone, video, in-person). The study highlights several gaps in access to language services including availability of translation services, written materials in languages other than English (LOE), workflows designed around English-speaking patients, lack of access to American Sign Language interpreters, and quality of interpretation. If these gaps are not addressed, we will continue to observe worse outcomes for hospitalized children and families who use LOE compared with children and families who use English for communication.2,3 Indeed, if families cannot communicate with us, how could we possibly be delivering quality care?
An often-overlooked dimension of health equity is language justice. Language...
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