Hospital interpreters facilitate communication between patients and healthcare professionals, translating symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment options. They also transcribe medical and insurance forms and may accompany doctors and nurses on medical missions. Educational requirements vary, but most have university degrees in foreign languages and healthcare experience. Certification is available through organizations like the International Medical Interpreters Association.
A hospital interpreter ensures that patients and healthcare professionals can communicate effectively despite language barriers. When a patient speaks a different language than doctors or emergency personnel, it can be frustrating, difficult, and potentially dangerous to try to determine exactly what is wrong. A hospital interpreter is able to translate a patient’s spoken information about their symptoms to doctors and, in turn, explain diagnoses, tests and treatment options to the patient. Interpreters work in many hospital divisions, including emergency rooms, long-term care units, and medical billing departments.
When a non-native speaker arrives at the hospital for medical care, he or she is appointed as a hospital interpreter as soon as possible. The interpreter asks about symptoms, existing medical conditions or general concerns and relays information to doctors and nurses. When x-rays or other diagnostic tests need to be performed, the interpreter explains the procedures to the patient. The interpreter continues to fill in the language gap during the patient’s stay, explaining diagnoses, prescribing information, and physician orders about seeking further care. As disease names and other medical terms are not often used in everyday speech, a hospital interpreter needs to be intimately familiar with the foreign language to translate information accurately.
In addition to providing in-person translation services, a professional also transcribes medical and insurance forms into the patients’ native language. After filling the forms, he transcribes them back in the original format so that they can be analyzed and archived accordingly. An interpreter can also translate billing information to ensure patients know how much they owe and the options they have for paying off balances.
Some hospital interpreters accompany doctors and nurses who travel abroad to treat people in poor or disaster-stricken regions. Some places have hospitals where patients can be admitted and evaluated traditionally, but many care efforts involve setting up temporary clinics and treating hundreds of patients at a time. Hospital interpreters help maintain order and guide under such hectic conditions. They explain why doctors are visiting, how they can help, and what patients need to do to receive immediate care.
Educational requirements to become a hospital interpreter vary across regions and employers, but most professionals have university degrees in one or more foreign languages. Many hospitals prefer to hire interpreters with first-hand experience in healthcare such as nurses or aides to ensure they can effectively understand and describe complex medical terms. Potential interpreters can improve their credentials and knowledge of medical interpreting by taking specialist courses in the field at hospitals or technical schools. Several respected organizations, including the International Medical Interpreters Association, offer certification to professionals who pass written exams.
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