Translational competency development and research on digital approaches to overcome language barriers in healthcare - TRICORDER

• Applicant: Dr. Frank Müller
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2021 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 495192971

Background: Language barriers in medical care are becoming more and more prevalent due to displacement, migration, but also as a result of tourism and globalization processes. Language mediation by interpreters in medical care has considerable shortcomings: For example, in spontaneous consultations they are often unavailable, the coverage of interpretation costs is unsettled, the quality of translations varies, and as a third person during consultations they can interfere the doctor-patient relationship building. In recent years, I have conducted several projects on approaches to address language mediation with digital assistive technology and have developed interventions that are already being used worldwide. Aims: This project will implement and evaluate an app for obtaining acute medical history of patients with limited english language proficiency. Through a mixed methods approach, unmet questions about relevant patient health outcomes and efficiency (e.g., emergency room visits, consultation duration, requested laboratory tests, etc.) and changes in the consultation situation (e.g., discussed topics, patient satisfaction) will be addressed in the evaluation. The core of the study is a controlled, non-randomized trial accompanied by focus group discussions with patients, migrant representatives and other stakeholders.Preliminary work: The Research Ethics Boad has already approved the study. Furthermore, third-party funds have been obtained from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation covering the expenses for necessary technical adaptations of the app as well as for additional supported languages. A broad-based preliminary study on experiences with interpreters and resulting access barriers was conducted through the "Non-English Speaking Patient Experience Study - NESPES Study" conducted at the Department of Family Medicine. There is also field access to Burmese communities.Host institutions: Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, East Lansing & Spectrum Health Family Medicine Residency Center Grand Rapids. Accreditation as a visiting scholar with own workspace and embedded in academic research environment at Michigan State University, supervision by experienced researcher.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Harland Holman