Medical Interpreting

Alfonso Interpreting

One of my most difficult medical interpreter moments part 5

When I incorporated my business over 13 years ago in addition to providing medical interpretation, I also provided transport services. At the end of 2019, our company discontinued transportation services. It was common for me to pick up patients, transport them to and from their appointments, and then serve as their interpreter. However, sometimes agencies …

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One of my most difficult medical interpreter moments part 4

A worker suffered a rotator cuff injury. Rotator cuffs can be especially painful and often take a long time to heal. As a healthcare interpreter, I have seen patients who excessively protect their injury. The arm becomes stiff and cannot be raised. Typically, they must sedate him and manipulate the arm. In layperson terms, rip …

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woman swimming in the pool

Difficult Medical Interpreter Moments Part 3B (Turning Point)

On this occasion, the doctor entered the room and ask the patient if he was a citizen of these United States of America. In an appropriate and humble manner, the patient responded that although he was not a citizen of the United States, he was a permanent resident with the paperwork to prove it. The …

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woman swimming in the pool

Difficult Medical Interpreter Moments Part 3 (Turning Point)

For workers’ compensation interpreting assignments, our company was often assigned injured workers for the duration of their claim. Additionally, because my company provides both healthcare and court interpreting, we would render services at the end of the claim. The following is one of the most heartbreaking experiences I ever had. I was assigned to interpret …

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One of my Most Difficult Medical Interpreter Moments Part 2

A flagger worker was hit by a car. He suffered a broken arm and leg. I was called in to interpret for this patient. Eventually, the doctor determined that surgery would be needed to install a metal brace to keep a leg bone in place. Surgery was scheduled at an outpatient surgery center which required …

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One of my most difficult medical interpreter moments.

There are moments that we never forget. These occasions often change our viewpoint and how we do things in the future. I thought it would be interesting to share just a few of those moments with you now. One day, I received a call from a nurse case manager who needed me at a hospital …

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colleagues looking at documents

Should the interpreter help the patient fill out medical forms and history?

Often, it is expected that medical interpreters will help a patient complete medical questionnaires and patient history. Some interpreters have no problem doing such tasks; others view it as beyond the scope of their practice. Whether or not an interpreter helps a patient to fill out medical documents in history depends more on company policy …

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Where should the medical interpreter stand?

Simply put, the perfect position for the interpreter in a medical setting is the triangle. This format allows the patient, the medical professional, and the interpreter to easily see and hear each other. However, sometimes there is only one seat for the patient; the interpreter must stand. The triangle is still the best option. However, …

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mistake, error, facepalm

Watch out for medical interpreting errors

A simple error by a medical interpreter could be catastrophic. If a doctor or a patient were to misunderstand the dialog, mistakes could be made in the decision-making process. This is another reason why I constantly advocate for the use of professional certified interpreters. It is very common for inexperienced interpreters to make mistakes by …

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driving, car, windshield

No More Transporting

One of the most agonizing decisions I had to take in 2020 was to discontinue providing transport services. When we incorporated in 2007, our clients were mostly language service companies that catered to workers’ compensation (WC) insurance companies. Also, we provided direct language services to a few WC carriers. Since we were compensated for interpreting …

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