When working with an interpreter, it can be helpful to briefly prepare him or her for the upcoming patient encounter—particularly if you will be delivering bad news or if the patient is notoriously difficult. Also, introduce the patient and interpreter, so everyone is clear on what each person’s role is. Train yourself to maintain eye contact with the patient, even when the interpreter is speaking, and use short sentences to allow the interpreter time to comprehend and translate what you say. Remember that while medical interpreters do not take the patient’s or the provider’s side, they are there to help both.
“If we’re going to have a team that makes sure a patient stays healthy,” Arocha says, “the medical interpreter has to be included in that team.”