P3.O288: Cultivating Cultural Humility in Pediatric Hospitalizations: Insights from a Qualitative Study at Primary Children’s Hospital

Background: Minority patient populations seeking healthcare in the U.S. encounter significant disparities in access to quality care, health outcomes, adverse safety events, morbidity and mortality rates, medication errors, and post-discharge health complications. These discrepancies are particularly pronounced among patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Providing care to patients through the lens of cultural humility, characterized by openness to learning, addressing power differentials, and institutional accountability, is imperative for achieving equitable care. This study has a dual purpose: 1) to examine patients' and families' experiences and perceptions of their hospitalization, and 2) to investigate healthcare clinicians' perspectives on the usability of language/interpreter services.

Methods: A cultural humility framework is used for this descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured individual interviews with patients and their families, including those with LEP, discharged within 7-19 days from a medical unit at a large pediatric hospital in the Western U.S., have commenced. Interpreters conduct interviews with LEP patients/families. Individual interviews will be conducted with clinicians. Interviews with patients/families and clinicians will continue until saturation is reached; however, we have recruited 20 individuals from each population. Qualitative analysis is used to identify patterns and themes of interviews.

Results: Preliminary findings are notable for two prominent themes in patient experience: communication and respect. Woven throughout the interviews is the central theme of communication, encompassing clinicians' supporting patients in accessing services and resources. For instance, a Spanish-speaking parent remarked, "The social worker actually explained to me all of the services they had available, and even they took me so I could see where I could get those services so I could be more comfortable there." Respect, the second identified theme, is exemplified by clinicians' interactions with patients and their families. An English-speaking parent expressed, "Even interacting with our daughter and allowing her to have a say in her recovery or what was going on with her procedure even though we were the parents …."

Conclusion: Current findings indicate favorable patient experiences and the presence of a culture of humility within our hospital, evidenced by high-quality communication and clinicians' respectful interactions with patients and their families. Cultural humility, recognized as an evidence-based care approach, correlates with enhanced care outcomes. Although the study remains in its preliminary phase, ongoing interviews and data analysis are being conducted to yield robust findings. Our ultimate aim is to enhance patient care by collaborating with our patients and addressing any practices or processes that may require refinement to better align with their needs.