Reducing Disparities Within Breast Cancer Care Among Hispanic Patients in a Safety-Net Community Hospital

Language barriers exacerbate health disparities among minorities. This study highlights the efficacy of simple interventions in mitigating language barriers, optimizing clinic efficiency, and enhancing preparedness for surgical procedures in Spanish-speaking (SS) females diagnosed with breast cancer in a safety net community hospital. A bilingual questionnaire was given to English and SS patients during their initial clinic visit. Additionally, a bilingual handout on surgical options and postoperative care was provided to selected surgical patients. Among the 41 patients studied, those who completed the questionnaire had an average encounter time of 27. 06 minutes, compared to 45. 26 minutes for those who did not. For SS patients, the average encounter time with the questionnaire was 34. 07 minutes versus 46. 54 minutes without it. The average cost of a medical interpreter was 17. 04 with the questionnaire, versus 23. 27 without. All SS patients who received the educational handout expressed greater satisfaction and understanding of their treatment plans and were less likely to require additional pre-surgery visits. This study demonstrated how the simple implementation of a translated questionnaire can reduce interpretation cost, encounter time, and improve clinic flow. Furthermore, utilizing a bilingual surgical educational handout enhances patient understanding, surgery readiness and reduces unnecessary additional visits.