Why Medical Interpreters are Important

Professional medical interpretation services are critical to health care facilities. According to the United State Census, 21.6 percent of Americans speak a language other than English at home. That means that one in five patients may speak a different language, which can make treatment extremely challenging. Medical lexicon is notoriously complicated, and it needs to be fully understood. If a doctor is trying to explain a complex medical procedure to a limited English speaking patient, deadly complications may occur. It’s extremely important to have interpretations available as a medical provider, and no one will appreciate it more than your patients. 

  1. They will feel understood– Living in a country where you don’t speak the primary language can be difficult, but it can be even harder if you need to seek medical care. Being injured or sick is already a scary experience, and can be that much more so if you don’t understand what’s being said to you. Speaking with a professional medical interpreter face-to-face can make patients more comfortable with the entire process, and ensures they understand what’s going on. At Access 2 Interpreters, we provide Face-to-Face, on site Interpretation Services in over 70 languages, so your patients are heard.
  2. They can provide more accurate information– Trying to diagnose a patient who speaks little to no English can be extremely difficult. While this may be made easier if the patient is accompanied by a friend or family member who speaks English more fluently, they often don’t know how to translate medical jargon. Furthermore, it may be a private matter that the patient does not want to discuss with someone close to them. A professional medical interpreter is key to fully conveying the nuances of different medical procedures, and providing unbiased and accurate information. At Access 2 Interpreters, we understand the need for empathy, confidentiality and professionalism in interpretation and translation. Our interpreters are extensively trained in the Canon of Ethics and Conduct for Court Interpreters, the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice in Healthcare, and HIPAA, so patients can feel safe speaking with them.
  3. They’re less at risk– A limited English speaker seeking medical help without a proper interpretation is at a significantly higher risk of misdiagnosis. Having a professional medical interpreter can limit the potential complications that come with diagnosing a patient a doctor cannot directly communicate with. A professional interpreter can also ensure that the patient is able to give a complete and comprehensive medical history, and avoid bad interactions with treatments.  At Access 2 Interpreters, our trained interpreters are experts in medical, legal and social services terminology, so they can convey exactly what the patient is feeling, and what the doctor intends to do.

Professional medical interpreters are absolutely crucial to medical providers. From making their patients comfortable with procedures, to getting the right information clearly, medical interpreters save lives. At Access 2 Interpreters, our experts are trained to deal with a variety of different situations, from medical emergencies to legal disputes and social services issues. We offer face-to-face interpretation services in over 70 languages, and Video Remote Interpreting in both Spanish and American Sign Language, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the event of an emergency, we can have a HIPAA qualified interpreter at your location within 40 minutes. At Access 2 Interpreters, we understand how important it is to communicate, and we make every effort to meet your interpretation and translation needs. 

If you’re interested in learning more about our seminars, interpretation or translation services, call us at (614) 221-1414 or send an email to info@access2interpreters.com.

Share this story!