“The United States is a Diverse Place, and Learning about Different Ethnic Cultures and Ideas Definitely Help[s] Us as Providers to Deliver Better Care”: A Qualitative Interpretive Study of Primary Care Physicians’ Standpoints on Treating Immigrant P

Underserved population, specifically immigrants with limited English proficiency (LEP), often do not receive equitable, high-quality healthcare. There is a lack of understanding regarding physicians’ perspectives on treating this population. This study describes the perspectives of primary care providers (PCPs) in the United States (US) on the challenges of treating LEP patients and identifies ways to improve the healthcare system to better meet the needs of this population. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 PCPs across the US and analyzed the data using grounded theory methodology. Three main themes emerged from the data: (1) challenges faced by healthcare providers in treating LEP patients, (2) strategies adopted by physicians over years of practice, and (3) practical recommendations for improving the current healthcare system to better serve LEP patients and deliver higher-quality care. Implementing patient–provider language-matching systems could significantly improve the care experience for LEP patients.