Quality of Care for Interpreter-Mediated Medical Encounters in Taiwan

The mix-method project is part of my larger, international research program that aims to examine the barriers and facilitators to quality care for language discordant patients (i.e., patients who do not share the same language with their healthcare providers). Based on my previous NIH funded work, I am convinced that to further advance the theories and quality of care for language discordant patients, it is important to examine how specific contextual variables may shape the content and process of interpreter-mediated medical encounters. In particular, the unique demographic, sociopolitical, and sociocultural contexts of language discordant patients in Taiwan (e.g., large number of foreign residents from Southeast Asia) can provide significant insights into (a) health disparities experienced by these marginalized patients, and (b) meaningful interventions to improve the quality of care for these patients. The specific aims of the project include: Examining the characteristics and practice of healthcare interpreting in Taiwan Identifying the unique contextual variables that influence providers, patients, and interpreters’ attitudes, and practices of healthcare interpreting in Taiwan Exploring similarities and differences in providers, patients, and interpreters’ attitudes, and practices of healthcare interpreting. Generating long-term collaborations with researchers, healthcare practitioners, and local NGOs in Taiwan.