Medical Interpreting

MEDICAL INTERPRETING

Use an interpreter to improve health outcomes

The Sorenson Difference

Sorenson’s medical interpreting services are in a class of their own. You can be assured that each SCIS interpreter on your site has met the following baseline requirements.

Passed criminal background checks using Social Security trace ID
Passed drug screening
Trained annually in HIPAA and how it applies to interpreters
Trained in protecting themselves and patients from bloodborne pathogens
Trained in violence in the workplace
Screened annually for tuberculosis
Vaccinated for influenza annually
Offered Hepatitis-B vaccination series

SCIS will also work with you to tailor our services to your needs. We help ensure that our interpreting services meet your accreditation needs, whether it be through the Joint Commission, NCQA, DNV GL, or others. Additionally, we can provide educational services to your staff to better prepare them for working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing patients.

Interpreting in a Medical Setting

Using Sorenson Community Interpreting Services in medical settings allows providers to focus on patient care and for patients to focus on their own health. Research shows that health outcomes improve when non-English speaking individuals utilize an interpreter to communicate with their providers. Medical error is reduced when history can be taken accurately and when patient instructions can be understood.

According to the National Committee of Quality Assurance (NCQA):

Studies report positive benefits of professional interpreters on communication (errors and comprehension), utilization, clinical outcomes and patient experiences with care. The use of professional interpreters is associated with more improved clinical care than use of ad hoc interpreters, and professional interpreters appear to raise the quality of clinical care for LEP patients to approach or equal that of patients without language barriers… Interpreter services have been found to lower costs by decreasing the use of diagnostic testing, and reducing the probability of hospital admission, receipt of intravenous fluids and post-emergency department (ED) visit charges.

Relying on a family member to interpret may seem like a good idea on first glance. However, this practice is inappropriate for many reasons. Family members do not necessarily possess adequate fluency in the medical setting to accurately convey information. They frequently edit information and do not tell the patient what they consider unimportant or even ‘bad news.’ And, the patient may not be forthcoming with important medical information that they feel embarrassed to say in front of family.

Relying on lip reading or note taking is often not an effective means of communication. Very little of English phonetics are visible on the lips and face. In one recent study, the average person was able to recognize a sentence correctly only 12.4% of the time (Nicholas A. Altieria, 2011). Because of the striking differences between English and American Sign Language and also the unevenness of educational opportunities the use of writing as a means of communication would be equivalent to writing English to a hearing patient who is not a fluent English speaker; it just wouldn’t work.

What about VRI?

Many medical facilities use Video Remote Interpreting, or VRI, as a replacement to interpreting. VRI can be beneficial in certain limited situations including triage, non-critical brief exchanges, and in rural areas where on-site interpreting is not available. The National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf both clearly caution providers in using VRI as a general replacement to on-site interpreting. Rather, it should be used only as an enhancement and with consent of the patient.

Legal Requirements

There are three main pieces of federal legislation that mandate provision of interpreters in medical settings.

Title III of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, requires businesses that serve the public to provide ‘effective communication’ to Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. The use of a qualified interpreter may meet this standard depending on the communication needs of the individual.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitative Act of 1973 bars discrimination against individuals with disabilities by any program that receives federal financial assistance.
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act requires covered entities to provide sign language interpreters where needed, and proactively inform patients of their availability.