Pediatrics
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Multicenter Study
Impact of language proficiency testing on provider use of Spanish for clinical care.
To measure the impact of an objective evaluation of provider Spanish-language skills on self-reported language proficiency and comfort using Spanish in a range of clinical scenarios. ⋯ Objective Spanish-language testing decreased nonproficient resident comfort using Spanish in straightforward clinical encounters, but it did not change comfort in complex or legal scenarios. In combination with education and enforceable policies, language testing may play an important role in decreasing nonproficient Spanish use and improving care for patients with limited English proficiency.