As time rolls on into a new year, we often make resolutions to be healthier. Holiday decadence is out, exercise is in. Healthcare is also a field where miscommunication can be disastrous.
Often, members of Limited English Proficient communities rely on family, friends or other connections to attend health care appointments with them and provide language interpreting services. However, this methodology has its limitations. Let’s look at a few of them:
- Lack of Expertise. Professional interpreters are trained to interpret everything that is said in their environment, with their one goal being to make the situation as equivalent as possible to one in which everyone in the room is speaking the same language. Many times, family or friends pick and choose which ideas to relay into the other language, thereby omitting vitally important information. Moreover, many medically certified interpreters have specialized training in and experience with: medical terminology, abbreviations and the day to day operations of various fields of medicine.
- Failure to tell the Truth. If you were relying on your son or daughter to interpret for you in a medical appointment, would you be as willing to mention those cigarettes you sneak out for a few times a day? Or would you feel comfortable discussing sensitive medical issues with your brother-in-law? Many times, patients aren’t willing to tell the truth about their health history without the privacy and confidentiality that a professional interpreter can provide.
- Other Personal Agendas. Have you ever specifically not told a spouse about a medical appointment, because you didn’t want them worried? Or have you avoided going to the office where your Aunt Rita is a nurse, because you don’t want her meddling in your business? Sometimes, family members, under the guise of doing what’s best for us, boss us around. Those with Limited English Proficiency are even more likely to have family members talk for them instead of with them, thereby effectively limiting their access to health care.
So, how can we at Your Language Connection solve these problems, and get patients the care they deserve?
We offer not only professional interpretation, including many interpreters with medical or other certifications, but also document translation services that translate many routine office forms into a wide variety of languages.
We also offer targeted, specialized classes for working professionals. If you’re providing continuous care for the elderly or the disabled, physical therapy or home health support, you might benefit from just learning some key phrases. We can work with individuals, groups or even workplaces to organize the kind of language training that’s going to make you even more appreciated by the patients you serve! If you’re in an office that sometimes uses interpretation services, we can provide you training to be sure you’re getting the most out of your interpreting services. These training sessions are especially helpful for employees who aren’t sure how to work with interpreters, or who feel hesitant about how to proceed when an interpreter enters the conversation.
Here at Your Language Connection, we’re proud to be a part of the community we serve, and we’re delighted to offer a large umbrella of services to help ensure that all have access to the health care they deserve.