Assessment and interpreting services in discharge of Latino patients in Kansas

Abstract

Case managers consist of social workers and nurses who plan dismissals. No known social workers or nurse case managers speak Spanish at Via Christi St. Francis and St. Joseph in Wichita, KS, which can contribute to the inefficient and unsafe discharge of Latino patients. Kadushin and Kuly (1993) report that 80 social workers in 36 not-for-profit acute care hospitals spent more time assessing patients than providing them with out-of-hospital services. The purpose of this pilot study is to identify assessment methods used with Latino patients, and case manager attitudes toward the current interpreter service system at Via Christi St. Francis and St. Joseph. Thirty-five case managers will be recruited to complete an electronic survey about their attitudes toward these issues, and preliminary data will be presented. There are implications for financial efficiency of the hospitals, educating case managers about interpreter usage, and informing policies on interpreter usage.