Nothing is more frustrating than going to a doctor and not being able to accurately explain what you are feeling. Now imagine that the doctor to has no idea what is wrong with you, because he doesn’t speak your language. This is a reality for hundreds of thousands of individuals across the US every day. It is critical that a professional interpreter is always present for medical appointments where someone has limited language proficiency. There are just too many things that can go wrong when the communication is not clear:
Complete Communication Failure
Without a professional medical interpreter present, many doctors cannot even see a patient. This results in a complete failure of communication to take place. This can be frustrating for the patient and doctor’s staff, as the visit will need to be rescheduled. And in an emergency? Things could go drastically wrong if a doctor cannot communicate with a patient in an emergency situation. Having a professional medical interpreter present will eliminate this issue.
Misdiagnosis
It is highly possible that a doctor will misdiagnose a patient if they attempt to get through a visit without an interpreter. The limited language proficient individual may be able to express some of their symptoms, but maybe not all. Additionally, the physician may ask certain pivotal questions which the patient doesn’t understand and doesn’t answer accurately. The best thing to do for medical visits is to hire a professional medical interpreter from an experienced interpretation firm to provide you with quality language services.
Incorrect Prescriptions
Being misdiagnosed at a doctor’s appointment can lead to you being prescribed the wrong medicine, which can in turn have serious consequences. Not only will it potentially waste both valuable medication and an individual’s money by buying the wrong medicine, it can results in adverse medical effects that could possibly make the patient sicker. Additionally, patients need to be able to understand how to take the medication. Without a professional medical interpreter present, a doctor cannot be 100% sure that the patient understands the medicine and dosing instructions.
Professional medical interpreters play an important role in the healthcare system. While some people may feel it is more cost effective to work with a family member or friend of the patient, a professional interpreter is the only type of linguist that should be used in a medical scenario. Professional linguists are trained, certified, and insured – and understand that they must be impartial and interpret everything said. Don’t risk any problems with your patient visits; work with a professional agency to provide you linguists whenever you may need them.
Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is a global interpretation agency that specializes in medical interpreting. We provide on-site and telephonic interpreters in over 350 languages, all over the world. Call us today at 1-877-567-8449 or e-mail us at [email protected] for more information on our language services.