Despite language barriers, a hospital interpreter ensures that patients and health care professionals can communicate effectively. It can be frustrating, difficult, and potentially dangerous to try to figure out what’s wrong when a patient doesn’t speak the same language as doctors or emergency room personnel. A hospital interpreter can take a patient’s spoken information about his or her symptoms and translate it for doctors, who can then explain diagnoses, tests, and treatment options to the patient. Emergency rooms, long-term care units, and medical billing departments are just a few of the areas where interpreters work.
When a non-native speaker arrives at the hospital for medical treatment, a hospital interpreter is assigned to him or her as soon as possible. The interpreter inquires about symptoms, current medical issues, or general concerns, and relays this information to doctors and nurses. The interpreter explains procedures to the patient when x-rays or other diagnostic tests are required. Throughout the patient’s stay, the interpreter continues to bridge the language gap, explaining diagnoses, prescription information, and doctor’s orders about seeking additional care. Because disease names and other medical terms are rarely used in everyday conversation, a hospital interpreter must be fluent in the foreign language in order to accurately translate information.
A professional can also transcribe medical and insurance forms into the patients’ native language in addition to providing in-person translation services. He or she transcribes forms back into their original format after they’ve been filled out so they can be analyzed and filed properly. An interpreter may also translate billing information so that patients understand how much they owe and what payment options they have.
Some hospital interpreters travel with doctors and nurses to impoverished or disaster-stricken areas to treat people. Although some locations have existing hospitals where patients can be admitted and assessed in the traditional manner, many relief efforts require the establishment of temporary clinics and the treatment of hundreds of patients at once. Under such stressful circumstances, hospital interpreters assist in maintaining order and providing directions. They explain why doctors are coming, how they can help, and what patients must do in order to receive prompt treatment.
The educational requirements for becoming a hospital interpreter differ by region and employer, but the majority of professionals have a bachelor’s degree in one or more foreign languages. To ensure that interpreters can effectively understand and describe complex medical terms, many hospitals prefer to hire interpreters who have firsthand experience in health care as nurses or aides. Taking specialized courses in medical interpreting at hospitals or technical schools can help prospective interpreters improve their credentials and knowledge of the field. Professionals who pass written exams can obtain certification from a number of reputable organizations, including the International Medical Interpreters Association.