Interpreters better the healthcare appointment and ensure the patient is properly advocated for. Apart from our many highly qualified and certified language interpreters, the Martti team also has a group of skilled quality assurance and training professionals. Part of their job is to ensure that the providers and patients served by Martti are having the best possible experience, and that often includes making recommendations for how to best interact with our interpreters. Those interactions can be via video, over the phone, or in-person, and could be in spoken language or ASL.
So, we’ve distilled some of this wisdom and compiled a series of the top DOs and DON’Ts for providers working with interpreters across modalities, plus a few tips for interacting specifically with interpreters over video as well. We hope this helps you not only make the most of Martti, but also devote more valuable time and energy to patient care.
DO
Here are some of the best practices for providers when interacting with interpreters, whether via video, audio, or in person. Please DO:
- Allow one person to speak at a time.
- Plan and allow for more time when working with Limited English Proficient (LEP) or Deaf patients.
- Be culturally aware with things like eye contact, personal space, and touching.
- Know that the interpreter may take longer than the original speech. In some languages there may be no linguistic or conceptual equivalent of some words.
DON’T
By contrast, there are some things we encourage against because they may result in a sub-optimal interpretation or patient experience. Please DO NOT:
- Make assumptions about the educational level of a patient who is LEP or Deaf. The inability to speak English or hear does not necessarily mean a lack of education or intelligence.
- Write notes for Deaf or Hard of Hearing patients, as this is not the preferred form of communication. Instead, please request an ASL interpreter.
- Use family members and friends. This is highly discouraged, as they often do not know medical terminology. They may also edit the information, resulting in an inaccurate or incomplete interpretation.
- Say anything you do not want interpreted, as the interpreter’s job is to interpret everything.
VIDEO
And here are a few tips that we like to offer providers to help them get the most out of their video medical experience:
- Adjust the camera so that the interpreter can see and hear the patient well and the patient can see the interpreter.
- Don’t leave the interpreter over video alone in the room with the patient. Disconnect if you will be away.
- Consider visual issues for a Deaf patient.
- Be aware of background noise which could make the interpretation difficult.
