Abstract
BackgroundIt is essential for medical treatment that patients and medical staff can communicate about acute complaints, pre-existing conditions, and the treatment procedure. Misunderstandings can have far-reaching consequences, particularly in time-critical emergencies, which require rapid assessments and decision-making and in which interpreters are rarely available.In this study, we aim to develop a digital communication tool that is to help paramedics communicate with patients who speak hardly any or no German, to monitor its implementation, and to investigate its effect on communication between foreign-language patients and staff. Furthermore, a large amount of data on patients that are cared for in emergency medical services in Germany are collected for the first time.MethodsTo consider the complex situations of paramedic care and to meet paramedics’ demands, we use an action-oriented research approach to develop the tool. We include the staff of the participating emergency medical service stations and software designers in our approach. The tool is then used and evaluated within an open interventional, non-randomised study with two control groups. Control group 1 (German-speaking patients) and control group 2 (non-German-speaking patients treated without the tool) are recruited starting from the first study phase. In the second study phase, an intervention group is additionally recruited, i.e. non-German-speaking patients with whom the tool is used.The primary outcome of the clinical trial is improved communication with non-German-speaking patients in emergencies by means of the communication tool. The secondary outcome is an improved quality and quantity of the collected information. We exploratively observe on-scene times, demands for emergency physicians, and the usage of the intervention. By recording patients’ clinical parameters, we consider the severity of the health restrictions.DiscussionOur study is an innovative research project in paramedic healthcare comprising the development of a digital communication tool to overcome language barriers in emergency medical services and investigating its usability, acceptance, and effect on communication, in short, its usefulness and value for paramedic care. Additonally, we expect to gain comprehensive information on rescue operations.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00016719, registered 08 February 2019, World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=DRKS00016719
Highlights
It is essential for medical treatment that patients and medical staff can communicate about acute complaints, pre-existing conditions, and the treatment procedure
Our study is an innovative research project in paramedic healthcare comprising the development of a digital communication tool to overcome language barriers in emergency medical services and investigating its usability, acceptance, and effect on communication, in short, its usefulness and value for paramedic care
Because of the minimal risks to patient safety when the app is used in comparison to randomised controlled trials on drugs and biologics, we aim to include a sufficient number of patients to perform all necessary basal statistical analyses
Summary
It is essential for medical treatment that patients and medical staff can communicate about acute complaints, pre-existing conditions, and the treatment procedure. A large amount of data on patients that are cared for in emergency medical services in Germany are collected for the first time. 180,000 to 520,000 undocumented migrants lived in Germany in 2014 [3]. This number has presumably increased in recent years. Even though the majority probably speak German fluently, a substantial number is assumed to be unable to communicate sufficiently in German. This number of migrants living in Germany with no or little knowledge of German has probably increased in recent years because about 0.9 million asylum seekers and refugees came to Germany between 2015 to 2017 [5]. 286,000 seasonal agricultural workers come to Germany every year (data for 2016) [8], many of them from Eastern Europe
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
