10 Reasons to Use OPI, According to Research: Part 3
Over-the-Phone Interpretation. Obviously there are benefits, but what benefits are there exactly? And how could it most benefit your facility’s providers and patients?
Here is the third and final installment of the “10 Reasons Why You Should be Using OPI, According to Research” articles. Click here for part 1, and here for part 2.
7. Patient and provider satisfaction
Both patient and provider satisfaction improved enormously with the introduction of OPI. 84% of providers felt that the overall quality of the care provided improved with the use of OPI. Likewise, 85% of patients felt that the overall quality of their visit and services provided had improved. Not only did their experiences using OPI improve, the majority – 85% of patients and 93% of providers – reported they were satisfied with the OPI in general.
8. Positive impact beyond their visit and health care encounter
The results of the research not only showed that the visit itself improved patient care, but using OPI had a lasting effect beyond the appointment. Things such as:
- understanding of information given during the appointment
- likelihood of asking questions during the visit
- likelihood of recommending the health care organization to friends and family who speak the same language
- ability to schedule follow-up or future appointments
- ability to follow health care providers’ instructions
- likelihood of disclosing more information to your health care provider
These were reported by the majority (72% to 87%) of patients as having improved when using OPI.
9. Improved relationship between health care providers and patients
Both healthcare providers and patients reported an improved relationship with the use of OPI.
71% of providers felt that their relationships with patients improved with the use of OPI and interpretation. Below are the percentages of providers who felt that the following aspects of their relationships with their patients improved:
- Patient engagement: 78% of providers said it improved
- Patient comfort level: 72% of providers said it improved
- Disclosure of patients: 68% of providers said it improved
Likewise, patients reported similar numbers:
- Comfort level during visit – 76% of patients said it improved
- Relationship with provider – 68% of patients said it improved
- Satisfied with comfort level – 85% of patients said it improved
- Satisfied with doctor or health care provider 93% of patients said it improved
Overall, both patients and healthcare providers believed that with OPI in use, patients felt more comfortable with doctors. As a result, patients were more involved and less passive in their healthcare treatment, and they felt more comfortable disclosing more of their health history.
10. Efficiency and improved access to healthcare
When offered the option of discontinuing the language service program the next year, most of the providers believed that a decrease would be seen in both the quality (74%) and efficiency (71%) of care.
Also, a good portion of the patients expressed that if language services were no longer offered at St. Michael’s, they would have to seek treatment elsewhere. Patients said they would have to find a health care provider who speaks their language (32%) and/ or stop going to the organization and find one that does offer interpretation (20%).
“There’s a few clients that I don’t know how we would go about seeing each other,” said one surveyed health care provider. “They don’t have anyone who could translate for them and they don’t speak English and for them I don’t know what we would do. They wouldn’t be able to access care.”
Ten reasons for OPI according to research… what are your reasons?
So those are the 10 reasons why you should have OPI at your facility according to the research done by the Toronto Study.
We know and have heard many reasons why OPI has made treatment for LEP easier for both health care providers and patients. What are your reasons? Tell us in the comments below.
