Case-Based Review

Using a Medical Interpreter with Persons of Limited English Proficiency

Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management. 2016 December;23(12)

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What are strategies to optimize the medical visit when the provider is not satisfied with the flow of conversation?

If there are conversations occurring between the patient and interpreter with the exclusion of the provider, the provider should request sentence-by-sentence interpretation by the interpreter. If the interpreter is answering on behalf of the patient, providers should redirect communication to the patient [10]. At times, patients may speak for longer periods without stopping for the interpreter to provide accurate information exchange. The provider in this case may need to interrupt conversation to allow the interpreter time to convey what is being said [14].

If there are family members who know English, but the patient and/or others do not know English, there may be a risk of miscommunication if the exchange of medical information is done by a combination of family members and the interpreter, as the medical information may not accurately reflect what the clinician is trying to convey. The provider may need to redirect the conversation flow through the interpreter to make sure there is consistent information being communicated [22].

Case Continued

Finally, the provider interrupted. She emphasized with the patient, mother, and the interpreter that all that was being said should be interpreted. She asked the interpreter to sit next to the patient and mother (rather than lateral to the physician) so that eye contact between the patient and mother and the provider could be maintained thus supporting the patient-provider relationship. She then asked one question at a time to the patient. She needed to interrupt the conversation again when the mother started to speak to the interpreter without waiting for interpretation. The doctor reemphasized the need to allow time for the interpreter to adequately convey the information. After this the medical visit progressed successfully. Soon the provider found out that the mother was concerned that something serious could be happening to her daughter, as her daughter previously had a miscarriage. After hearing the mother’s concern, the provider was able to clarify with the daughter that the pain was suprapubic and she was having burning when she urinated. After further evaluation, the provider diagnosed a urinary tract infection. She told the patient about the diagnosis and provided her with appropriate medication and instructions on how to take it and for how long. The provider then asked the patient to tell her what she understood about the diagnosis and how to take the medication. The doctor then asked if either had any further questions. After the medical visit, the provider made sure that the patient’s chart reflected the need for a Somali interpreter with the notation that a female interpreter was preferred.

Conclusion

When working with persons with LEP, providing a professional medical interpreter will facilitate optimal communication. In-person and remote (videoconferencing or telephonic) interpreting are options. When using an interpreter, the provider should maintain eye contact with and direct speech to the patient not the interpreter. The provider should speak clearly, avoid complex terminology, and pause appropriately. Clinicians should remember that patients may have a preference in the gender and dialect of the interpreter and accommodations should be made if available. Finally, asking the patient to repeat back in his or her own words what has been discussed is important to make sure the patient understood what was communicated during the medical visit [10,16].