Journal of Health Care and Prevention
Open Access

Patients; Medical professionals; Healthcare

Introduction

To help overcome communication hurdles and shield vulnerable patients from inequities in healthcare, healthcare interpreters are essential allies. Many service providers lack the knowledge and skill set necessary for effective cooperation with an interpreter. It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it easier for the patient to grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication. The purpose of this article is to address certain concerns regarding the usage of healthcare interpreters and to offer specific recommendations [1-3] that will help professionals provide the best care for their patients.

Case Presentation

The majority of health care interpreters talk about the profound emotional gains they receive from their work despite the profession's difficulties. Like medical professionals, they witness every day how their efforts to provide language access save lives and [4-7] safeguard health and wellbeing. Many health care interpreters undertake their work over the telephone or using video technologies. Due to limited resources, particularly in remote regions and/or when specific linguistic demands arise for Languages of Lesser Diffusion (LLDs) such as indigenous languages, telephone interpreting is (Figure 1) a sector that has witnessed [8] tremendous expansion in the past few years. Health care interpreters and providers may offer these choices either full-time or in addition to on-site translating.

Figure 1: The use of interpreter in medical.

What Are the Benefits of Using Health Care Interpreters? A person who translates a message from one language into another is known as an interpreter. Any person hired and provided by the hospital or healthcare system to interpret is considered a professional medical interpreter, according to the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care [6]. Studies have shown that using trained interpreters improves patient satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and patient understanding of health issues.

What Does the Law Say About Providing Health Care Interpretation Services?

As a federal agency, the Department of Health and Human Services and its Office for Civil Rights are responsible for establishing requirements and enforcing regulations related to the provision of language and communication services in health care settings. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act established the core legal basis for equal treatment from federal agencies for those with limited English proficiency. Any organisations that get support from the government must abide by these rules.

Discussion

What Training and Certification is Available for Professional Interpreters?

While not available for all languages, the majority of Certified Medical Interpreters have completed both an oral and written test. The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters or the National Association for the Defat offer national certification for interpreters. It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it easier for the patient to [7] grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication. The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) offers two different certifications for medical interpreters. Interpreters may declare themselves to be Core Certified.

What Can You Expect from a Professional Medical Interpreter?

Professional medical translators are taught to use the same terms used by the healthcare professional while translating spoken word. The practitioner needs to understand that medical jargon will be interpreted as medical jargon, and high-level vocabulary will be interpreted with high-level words. It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it [9-15] easier for the patient to grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication.

How Can a Health Care Interpreter Serve as a Cultural Liaison?

The medical interpreter can frequently serve as a bridge between cultures (ie, one who can identify for the provider cultural or social factors that might impact the encounter). A quick pre-visit meeting with interpreters to discuss the patient's background and get advice on cultural norms is frequently helpful1. For instance, the interpreter might let the provider know that a patient might avoid shaking hands with members of the opposite culture due to religious considerations. It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it easier for the patient to grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication.

What Are Some Techniques a Provider Can Use to Most Effectively Work With a Health Care Interpreter?

The provider should take a few factors into account in order to use an interpreter as efficiently as possible.

What Should a Provider Do When a Patient Declines a Professional Interpreter?

Patients occasionally turn down offers to utilise medical interpreters. Reasons for denial of an interpretation could include the discussion of a sensitive topic, that the patient may know the interpreter in the community setting, or that the interpreter does not speak the same dialect. It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it easier for the patient to grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication. The interpreter can opt for a more private way of interpretation, like using a telephone interpreter, to provide accurate and private interpretation.

What Are the Alternatives to an “In-Person” Interpreter?

When a live interpreter is not available, phone medical interpreters are frequently used. Institutions can subscribe to a service or pay by the minute for phone [12, 16] interpretation. Many smaller clinics and hospitals can rely on major telephone interpreting services, which employ licenced interpreters across a range of languages, if they have limited interpreting needs or lack the means for in-person interpretation.

What Are Some Additional Resources for a Provider Who is Working with an Interpreter?

There are numerous organisations devoted to medical or health care interpreting both domestically and abroad. These are replete with information and resources, such as details on certification requirements, training, conferences, ongoing research, and pertinent topics like diversity, disparities in access to healthcare, health literacy, and other related important issues.

Results

It shouldn't be expected of the interpreter to modify the language to make it easier for the patient to grasp. Professional interpreters may alert the service provider to the possibility of miscommunication. The interpreter can opt for a more private way of interpretation, like using a telephone interpreter, to provide accurate and private interpretation.

Conclusion

Providing a setting where our patients can feel at ease knowing they will be heard and given information in a language they can comprehend is our responsibility, both morally and legally. The most crucial action in carrying out this responsibility is frequently the engagement of a qualified healthcare interpreter.

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to The Regional Center for Mycology and Biotechnology, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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