Why do we need medical interpreters - Research Paper Example

School: Topic: Why do we need medical interpreters Lecturer: The research paper was undertaken with the objective of arguing for the need of medical interpreters in the healthcare system. This means that the study design used was an argumentative research which followed the qualitative approach. As part of the qualitative approach, the researcher focused on the use of literature made up of published research in the area of the use of medical interpreters. There were four major areas where the importance of medical interpreters was assessed from. These were in the areas of utilization, clinical outcomes, communication (errors and comprehension), and patient satisfaction. In each of these fours, the role of medical interpreters, types of interpreters, strategies for working with medical interpreters, and opinions about why medical interpreters are important was investigated. The findings made showed that using medical interpreters is important for improving medical outcomes in all four areas. The position on the other side of the argument of the risk of using ill-trained medical interpreters can however not be denied entirely. The need to give medical interpreters adequate training is thus recommended. Introduction In the United States and most other English speaking countries, the national population comprises people who use languages other than the English language. As far back as 2000, there were up to 47 million people reported in the census of the United States who did not use English language at home (Shin and Bruno, 2003). For most of these people, it is said that they have limited English proficiency (LEP). Meanwhile the country’s healthcare system is such that there should be equality with the delivery of healthcare to all citizens and legal residents. With this said, it would be expected that when it comes to the areas of utilization, clinical outcomes, communication (errors and comprehension), and patient satisfaction, all people using health facilities will have an equal level of quality. Baker, Hayes and Fortier (1998) however lamented of a situation where lack of understanding of medical instructions given to patients with LEP cause low expectations in all the four areas of evaluation mentioned earlier. This paper is thus undertaken as an argumentative research by the use of qualitative approach to argue out why we need medical interpreters in the healthcare system. Role of medical interpreters In any typical healthcare facility, medical interpreters are needed to play the basic role of giving professional translation of medical information and instruction to people who require interpretation (Tocher and Larson, 2009). This is a role that has increased over the years. There are a number of factors that have accounted for the increasing need of medical interpreters to play the role that has been identified earlier. In a study by Shin and Bruno (2003), it was noted that the issue of migration has been singled out as the commonest reason for which the need for medical interpreters has increased in the last 10 years. Indeed in the last ten years, there has been much ease with cross-border movement due to reasons such as commerce and education. But as the people from different language origins move to new destinations, it is important that their communication, utilization, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction are all catered for once they make use of any medical facility. Meanwhile when these people are made to understand medical personnel well through interpretation of instructions, all these four areas of assessment are guaranteed to be achieved. Types of interpreters A search through literature revealed that there are two broad categories of interpreters who are ad hoc interpreters and professional medical interpreters (Jacobs, Shepard, Suaya and Stone, 2004 and Woloshin, Schwartz, Katz & Welch, 1997). Ad hoc interpreters are generally untrained in the field of healthcare and medicine. Some types of individual ad hoc interpreters include trained telephonic interpreter, bilingual family member or friend and untrained bilingual staff. Professional medical interpreters on the other hand include trained onsite interpreters, bilingual health care practitioners, and trained bilingual staff (Fiscella, Franks, Doescher & Saver, 2012). Findings of some studies showed however that most people with LEP tend to depend on relatives and friends who are not professionally trained in translation at all (Tocher and Larson, 2009). A number of arguments have been made as to why it may be justified to depend on ad hoc interpreters, including the issue of cost of training medical interpreters and the issue of availability of medical interpreters (Jacobs et al., 2004).. In the argument of the latter, it is further indicated that when ad hoc interpreters are used, they give interpretations that are straightforward without medical technicalities and so chances that they may over-elaborate medical details as may happen with medical interpreters are minimal. Strategies for working with medical interpreters From the argument on the use of ad hoc interpreters, it may sound that medical interpreters only contribute to cost and risk, and thus are not needed in the healthcare set up. Analyzing the strategies for working with medical interpreters however, Bischoff et al. (2013) found that there are different strategies that can be put in place to ensure that medical interpreters work to achieve utilization of their competence. One such strategy is the need for the doctor or medical expert to speak directly to the patient instead of to the patient. This is because doing so ensures that interpretation takes place in a nature doctor-to-patient environment, where the likelihood of the interpreter to distort information is less likely (Tocher and Larson, 2009). Again, it is important to use short and simple sentences. Once this is done, it can be assured that there will be complete and accurate interpretation. This is because the need for interpreters to use their own information in making up for parts of information they lost will not be likely. Finally, it is recommended that as a strategy, the interpreter and clinician both have enough time to prepare (Baker, Hayes and Fortier, 1998). This can be done through a preconference where the clinician gives the interpreter a general overview of what is expected before the patient comes to the scene. Opinions about why medical interpreters are important Of all the articles that were selected and analyzed on the comparative use of ad hoc interpreters, there was a unanimous outcome which showed that using medical interpreters yield improved outcomes with utilization, clinical outcomes, communication, and patient satisfaction than when ad hoc interpreters are used. Writing on utilization, Fiscella et al (2012) noted that medical interpreters guarantee a high sense of utilization of the medical process. This is because any form of misappropriated time in the delivery of medical information is taken care of. In another study by Woloshin et al. (1997) where clinical outcomes were measured in patients who received translation from medical interpreters was compared with those who used ad hoc interpreters, it was noted that improved outcomes were recorded in the former. Bischoff et al. (2013) also indicated that the understanding that medical interpreters have on the basis of medicine ensure that they communicate to patients in the most professional way to avoid errors and adverse effects in the use of medicine and other medical instructions. Last but not least, Baker, Hayes and Fortier (1998) stressed that more patients who were interviewed in their study who had used services of medical interpreters expressed improved patient satisfaction as compared to those who used ad hoc interpreters. Conclusion Evidence given from various works of literature and the outcomes of various studies have should that medical interpreters are indeed needed in the healthcare delivery program. This is because when the roles of medical interpreters are assessed from the perspective of the four evaluation areas namely utilization, clinical outcomes, communication (errors and comprehension), and patient satisfaction, it was seen that having professional medical interpreters as against ad hoc interpreters ensured that there was improved performance. It would therefore be concluded that having and using medical interpreters is very important for ensuring improved outcomes for all individuals. By the use of medical interpreters, all people, regardless of the level of their English proficiency can be assured that they will receive health care outcomes that are well tailored to meet their needs. Having said this, it will be appreciated that where there is inadequate training, the work of medical interpreters could be consequential. The need to continue emphasizing on the training of medical interpreters is therefore strongly recommended. 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Do Physicians Spend More Time with Non-English-Speaking Patients. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 14, 303–9. Woloshin S, Schwartz L.M, Katz S.J. and Welch H.G (1997). Is Language a Barrier to the Use of Preventive Services? Journal of General Internal Medicine. 12, 472–7. Read More