. 2014 Oct 23;30(1):75–82. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3066-8

Table 3.

Factors Influencing Providers’ Choice of Interpreters

Factors	Corresponding dimensions	Sample narratives
Time constraints	Disruption to providers’ schedule and priorities	I would use [professional interpreter] SO MUCH MORE OFTEN if they were just right there where I could just say, “Hey, can you come here? I need to ask you something real quick,” instead of having to call and wait 25 min for them to get up here. (Nora^NUR)
Time constraints	Increased responsibilities and competing demands	It is [an] unfair burden to carry on a regular patient load and then having to interpret for every family that needs it. […The bilingual staff/provider who should be] making medical decisions or parting medical therapy [is] now tied up doing interpretation. (Eric^EM)
Alliances of care	Management of patient empowerment and patient receptiveness	[When disclosing poor prognosis,] I want somebody [who] stands in there WITH me. […] I just couldn’t use a telephone [interpreter]. (Cecil^ONC)
Alliances of care	Facilitation of provider agenda	PROFESSIONAL interpreter is supposed to be working for ME, as a go-between with the patient. Whereas the family member, may be working for themselves, or may be xworking for the patient, or who knows what. They are not THERE FOR ME. (Gloria^OB/GYN)
Therapeutic objectives	Clinical complexity	I would trust [bilingual nurses much more than professional interpreters]. Because they have more medical experience so they would know better how to explain exact procedures and diagnosis. (Eli^EM)
	Clinical urgency	If somebody is critically ill, we will get whatever information we can whether that’ll be a family member that speaks very little English, or even a younger child […] I have a few phrases of Spanish […] we will utilize what we can till we get an interpreter. (Ed^EM)
	Patient privacy	[When working with family interpreters,] the obvious concern would be confidentiality issues. If the patient will not be forthcoming with the interpreter, then I cannot really ask [sensitive topics] I need to ask through a family interpreter. (Michael^MH)
Organizational-level considerations	Resource limitations	I xagree that professional interpreters are our preference, but unfortunately, financially, it’s nearly impossible to do that. (Gloria^OB/GYN)
Organizational-level considerations	Ethical guidelines	You don’t have to worry about somebody saying back later, “You never told me that. I was translating and you never said that.” So, yeah, it’s an extra level of protection to have a hospital hired [interpreter] as opposed to the family. The level of malpractice protection. (Cara^ONC)