There are over 7,000 official languages in the world, and the world is becoming more globalized all the time. Because of this linguistic diversity, it’s likely that you’ll be seeing more people in your community whose first language is something other than English.
Language interpretation services can help you reach minority communities and boost your presence in the medical field. Read on to learn how and why this is the case.
Healthcare Specific Interpretation
Native speakers of any language inevitably know technical jargon and slang that second-language learners do not. This means that they’ll know specific terminology within the healthcare industry regardless of whether they work in it or not.
They will know the legitimate names for various treatments, problems, operations, and diseases. Second-language learners would need to describe these concepts in different terms. These terms may get the point across, but they also may not be specific enough for issues as important as those in the medical sector.
Quality language services deploy experts and technology with the fluency needed to communicate effectively. A healthcare-specific interpretation service is more essential than one that simply employs generic interpreters. It’s the job of healthcare interpreters to know everything about communicating in the target language within medical facilities.
Effective Patient Communication
The quality of patient care suffers without good communication. Misdiagnosis becomes more common. People are more likely to be prescribed the wrong treatments.
This is against the mission of doctors and other medical professionals. Your healthcare practice exists to help and treat people of all backgrounds.
It also could create legal issues. You don’t want to be slammed with a medical malpractice lawsuit. This is especially true since language translation services could solve the problem effectively.
Health Services Research has conducted studies on the exact ways that medical practice language interpretation services improve care quality. They found that better communication leads to:
- Overall better care across all medical facility types
- Improved clinical care and treatments
- Generally lower readmission rates (and greater long-term patient health)
- Fewer communication problems that lead to misdiagnosis
- Patients making more informed treatment choices
- Better follow-up care and treatments because patients better understand their needs
Your care quality will go up, patients will be less stressed out, and you can ensure that you meet all medical industry requirements and oaths.
Telehealth Language Services and Options
82% of mental health treatment has taken place over remote telehealth platforms. 43% of Americans say that they like this format and will continue using it in a post-pandemic world if possible.
Mental healthcare is not the only type of treatment to take place over telehealth. Routine check-ins for physical health issues can also happen on a video call. You will still need in-person meetings for physical examinations and treatment assessments, but telehealth is good for check-ins.
Telehealth services require a different form of language interpretation than on-site interpreters offer. Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) is a modern solution.
This third-party interpreter joins in on a telehealth call and translates for both the provider and patient in real time. This makes remote healthcare meetings easier.
VRI professionals also can help with in-person meetings between patients and providers. The patient pulls the interpreter up on-screen. Then, the patient hears the doctor while watching the interpreter. Communication barriers lessen.
Improving Written Communication
The healthcare industry is filled with a lot of paperwork and legal documents. This documentation isn’t just technical. It also describes important treatments, procedures, and operations that the patient must give informed consent to.
In fact, failing to translate important medical documents is a violation of the law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care act states that failing to provide adequate translation qualifies as discrimination in the medical field. You may find yourself with a medical malpractice lawsuit if you don’t invest in medical translation.
Professional translators can help you ensure that you translate the ins and outs of every document. Quality teams have experience in the medical field and know how to get any point across in their target language. You won’t need to worry about providing poor-quality care or getting slapped with a legal problem.
Streamlined Medical Operations
Speaking of lawsuits, using the right translation platform can prevent one in multiple areas. CommGap’s interpreting services only employ HIPAA-compliant interpreters.
These interpreters are fully qualified and/or certified to perform in-person, VRI, and over-the-phone services. They’re accessible through both landline and mobile devices, which means that you will never be left without a translator.
This streamlines your daily life because you can access services anywhere at any time. Patients can, too. There won’t be any guesswork when it comes to understanding treatments or filling out paperwork.
Written translations are also heavily streamlined. CommGap uses and is certified in the most recent ISO 17100:2015 standards. This certification means that we have approved, high-quality customer service and better translations.
You’ll be able to feel more secure when giving out medical advice and administering assistance. Patients will be less stressed out because they will always have a clear understanding of their diagnoses. This means that your medical practice can run more efficiently.
Get Started With Quality Language Interpretation Services
While reaching minority communities can be a challenge, it’s critical in the medical field. After all, you will need to perform treatments and assist people of multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Language interpretation services make this possible.
Now that you know how to extend your reach, it’s time to get started. CommGap is committed to bridging the gap between people who speak diverse languages so that healthcare providers can best communicate with each other and with patients. Contact us with any remaining questions and begin using top-notch medical practice language services.
