Be Aware of the Dangers Associated With Allowing a Friend or Family Member to Act as an Interpreter in Medical Settings:
It’s a common occurrence to face language barriers in medical settings in cities across America. As our communities continue to enrichen with vast amounts of linguistic and cultural diversity, language barriers will present themselves as an obstacle when treating, diagnosing, and caring for limited English proficient (LEP) patients. Change brings about growth and understanding and through experience, medical workers have come to the complete awareness and realization of the dangers associated with allowing a bilingual friend or family member to interpret medical information.
Accurate communication is of the utmost importance when providing care for patients, regardless of the language they speak. If communication is disrupted because of a language barrier, information can be left out, poorly conveyed and not understood by all parties involved. This can put LEP patients at risk of further injury, misdiagnosis, improper treatment, and in some cases death due to a language barrier in an emergency medical situation.
Professional Medical Interpreters:
Medical interpretation is a skill that not just anyone has the ability to do and speaking two languages is just the minimum requirement for being able to accurately provide medical interpretation services. More often than not, medical interpreters are fully trained in the medical field and have had extensive experience and a background in healthcare services. This background, education, and experience allows them to fully understand medical procedures and terminology needed to explain in detail medical proceedings to LEP patients. It takes a vast amount of professional training, language and cultural immersion, medical education, experience in the medical field as well as history interpreting for medical concepts in order to be able to accurately and precisely perform the extensive task of medical interpretation.
Allowing a Friend or Family Member to Interpret Medical Information Puts All Parties Involved At Risk:
It is understood that bilingual friends and family members just want to help alleviate some of the stress and tension associated with facing a language barrier in a medical setting. Therefore, they unknowingly can make the situation worse by acting as an interpreter for their loved one. Interpreting with no valid experience, background or education can lead to a plethora of negative outcomes. Untrained interpreters are prone to omissions, additions, substitutions and inserting their opinions. First and foremost, people regardless of how well they know the language will have a difficult time interpreting medical terminology and concepts from the source language into the target language. They are also prone to summarizing vital information due to their lack of understanding on how to convert such advanced terminology and medical information. Another issue that arises when using a family member or friend to interpret is that they may disclose private or sensitive information or provide incomplete information, leaving providers little room to accurately address the medical needs of the LEP patient being cared for.
Partner With a Professional Language Service Company (LSC) As to Ensure Accuracy In All Regards:
There are too many major risks involved in not hiring a professional interpreter when there is a language barrier faced in a medical setting. If your healthcare facility provides care to LEP patients its a must to incorporate the usage of professional medical interpretation services to ensure accurate communication is facilitated. Interpretation services such as on-site interpretation, video remote interpretation (VRI) as well as telephonic interpretation can be accessed through a partnership with a reputable language service company (LSC). Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is a LSC with over 20 years of experience ensuring accuracy is at the forefront of any and every interpretation service they provide. Don’t allow your LEP patients to be put at risk over a language barrier, contact Niki’s Int’l Ltd. today and begin providing optimal care and accommodating the needs of all your patients, regardless of the language they speak.
Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is a WBENC-Certified Women Business Enterprise with 20 years of language service experience. A global network of highly skilled interpreters and translators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for on-site, telephonic and video remote interpretation services. Our linguists are available in over 350 languages and dialects, and our network includes certified interpreters and translators. Our work is guaranteed with a $1 Million Errors & Omissions policy, so that you can be confident that your project will be completed with the highest level of quality and professionalism within the field. For more information contact us at 1-877-567-8449 or visit our website at www.nilservices.com.