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Research Snapshot Theater: Pediatric VIII

Breaking Language Barriers: Advancing Equity in the PICU

Monday, March 23, 2026
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Central Time
Location: Connections Central - RST 07

  • Rebecca Asp, MD, MS

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

  • KD

    Kathryn Davis, MD

    Clinical Fellow
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • MQ

    Monique Quinn, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Children's National

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • KE

    Karla Eysold, N/A

    Patient and Family Engagement Specialist
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • LC

    Lynn Campeau, N/A

    Quality Improvement Specialist
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • CM

    Carlie Myers, MD, MS

    Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

    Disclosure information not submitted.

Introduction: Language barriers exacerbate healthcare disparities, particularly in high-acuity settings like the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Children from families who speak a language other than English (LOE) face increased adverse events and reduced provider communication, leading to worse outcomes. At our institution, baseline data revealed suboptimal interpreter service use at only 1.3 interactions per day despite availability of interpreter services. Inconsistent language identification, limited provider training, and workflow barriers hindered optimal use. The primary aim was to increase interpreter service utilization to 4 interactions per LOE patient/family per day, with a secondary aim to improve interpretation quality.


Methods: We conducted a staff needs assessment and formed a multidisciplinary working group, including language services, QI experts, and PICU staff. Using QI methodology and input from Patient and Family Services, we co-created a failure mode effects analysis and a key driver diagram. Interventions were tested PDSA cycles, which included provider education, improved preferred language identification, and EHR-embedded job aids. Qualitative family interviews assessed impact of these changes.


Results: Baseline data revealed an average of 1.3 interpreted interactions per LOE patient/family per day. The needs assessment (n=148) showed most are satisfied with accessibility of interpreter services. Participants used video interpretation most often despite preferring in-person, and 62% reported they often or always use interpretation for a LOE patient/family. Four themes were identified to increase utilization: increased accessed to in-person interpretation, more time, easier access, and for major updates. Trialed interventions through PDSA cycles increased interpretation use from 1.3 to 3 interactions per LOE patient/family per day.


Conclusions: Access to high-quality interpretation is imperative to provide effective and equitable healthcare. This project combined real-time data tracking with targeted, multidisciplinary interventions to integrate interpretation improvements directly into PICU workflows, ensuring sustainability. By pairing quantitative outcomes with qualitative feedback, this QI initiative captures a holistic view and highlights how QI can advance health equity.