Relying on Bilingual Peers for Language Interpretation - A Cautionary Tale
Bilingual staff often step in as informal medical interpreters yet this practice can strain workflows and compromise both care quality and staff wellbeing. No Barrier gives clinicians instant access to accurate medical interpretation so hospitals can support LEP patients, strengthen health equity and reduce the hidden burdens placed on multilingual employees.
As we embarked on the journey of creating No Barrier, a common thread woven through our discussions was the leveraging of bilingual staff as impromptu interpreters during patient consultations. In principle, this practice seems reasonable. Some team members have even pursued professional certification to become medical interpreters. Many hospitals actively encourage their personnel to acquire language skills, like completing a 40-hour comprehensive course in medical Spanish. Primed with linguistic proficiency, these bilingual staff members step in to enable smooth communication.
Nonetheless, there's a less apparent side to this story. The 'informal' interpreters frequently find themselves shouldering unexpected responsibilities. Imagine the situation - a monolingual doctor urgently needs their help, and they must drop their tasks abruptly to aid. During our talks with these bilingual individuals, many implied that extra compensation could be appropriate for this unanticipated assistive role.
Take, for example, the instance of Dr. Jackson (an alias to maintain anonymity), a multilingual physician from California proficient in three languages. He shared his experiences of the pressures of working in an environment where many of his patients and his colleagues' patients are Limited English Proficient (LEP), reflecting the demographic reality of the area.
Proud of his linguistic arsenal, Dr. Jackson confessed that it often feels misused. He's consistently drawn from his busy schedule to support non-English-speaking patients of his peers, which in turn led to longer workdays devoid of breaks. As these interruptions became a constant feature, Dr. Jackson noticed the toll it was taking on his patients' care and personal life.
Dr. Jackson began to counter this trend, refusing to interpret and reminding colleagues of readily available resources like courses in medical Spanish and interpreter assistance lines.
While he acknowledges the necessity for physicians to bridge language barriers with patients, he believes the burden shouldn't rest solely on multilingual staff. Hospitals need to strive for equitable healthcare access while also prioritizing staff wellbeing, by offering robust training, hiring professional interpreters, using technological tools, and promoting shared responsibility.
The invaluable role of language skills in healthcare isn't under dispute. However, like Dr. Jackson's story, it demonstrates the need for a holistic approach. Tackling language barriers multifacetedly proves to be more beneficial to both patients and staff alike.
The next time you, as a healthcare provider, encounter language barriers, consider turning to No Barrier. Not only will you gain linguistic independence, freeing up your bilingual colleagues to focus on their core roles, but you'll also be transforming the healthcare narrative, one LEP patient at a time. Welcome to No Barrier, navigating the complexities of the multilingual healthcare landscape.
FAQs
1. Can relying on bilingual staff as medical interpreters create workflow strain and impact care quality for LEP patients?
Yes. Pulling bilingual employees away from their core duties disrupts clinical workflows and can reduce the consistency of care for LEP patients.
2. Does using professional or AI supported medical interpretation improve health equity across a hospital system?
Yes. Standardized interpretation ensures LEP patients receive equal access to information and care regardless of which clinician is available.
3. Can No Barrier reduce the operational pressure on bilingual staff who are often used as informal interpreters?
Yes. No Barrier gives clinicians immediate interpretation support which protects staff productivity and reduces burnout from repeated interruptions.
4. What should a CIO consider when replacing informal interpretation with structured medical interpreter solutions?
A CIO should evaluate accuracy, scalability, integration with existing clinical workflows and the ability to support diverse languages during peak demand without overloading bilingual staff.
5. How does No Barrier support long term system wide goals in digital health and health equity?
No Barrier helps unify communication across departments, reduces variability in interpreting practices, protects clinician time and provides a reliable tool that supports equitable care for every LEP patient.
Eyal Heldenberg
Co-founder and CEO, building No Barrier
Eyal has 20+ years in speech-to-speech and voice AI and is the co-founder of No Barrier AI, a HIPAA-compliant medical interpreter platform. Over the past two years, he has led its adoption across healthcare organizations, helping providers bridge dialect gaps, reduce compliance risk and improve patient safety. His mission is simple: ensure health equity by removing language barriers at the point of care.
Relying on Bilingual Peers for Language Interpretation - A Cautionary Tale
Eyal Heldenberg
Co-founder and CEO, building No Barrier
March 14, 2024
4
Minute Read
As we embarked on the journey of creating No Barrier, a common thread woven through our discussions was the leveraging of bilingual staff as impromptu interpreters during patient consultations. In principle, this practice seems reasonable. Some team members have even pursued professional certification to become medical interpreters. Many hospitals actively encourage their personnel to acquire language skills, like completing a 40-hour comprehensive course in medical Spanish. Primed with linguistic proficiency, these bilingual staff members step in to enable smooth communication.
Nonetheless, there's a less apparent side to this story. The 'informal' interpreters frequently find themselves shouldering unexpected responsibilities. Imagine the situation - a monolingual doctor urgently needs their help, and they must drop their tasks abruptly to aid. During our talks with these bilingual individuals, many implied that extra compensation could be appropriate for this unanticipated assistive role.
Take, for example, the instance of Dr. Jackson (an alias to maintain anonymity), a multilingual physician from California proficient in three languages. He shared his experiences of the pressures of working in an environment where many of his patients and his colleagues' patients are Limited English Proficient (LEP), reflecting the demographic reality of the area.
Proud of his linguistic arsenal, Dr. Jackson confessed that it often feels misused. He's consistently drawn from his busy schedule to support non-English-speaking patients of his peers, which in turn led to longer workdays devoid of breaks. As these interruptions became a constant feature, Dr. Jackson noticed the toll it was taking on his patients' care and personal life.
Dr. Jackson began to counter this trend, refusing to interpret and reminding colleagues of readily available resources like courses in medical Spanish and interpreter assistance lines.
While he acknowledges the necessity for physicians to bridge language barriers with patients, he believes the burden shouldn't rest solely on multilingual staff. Hospitals need to strive for equitable healthcare access while also prioritizing staff wellbeing, by offering robust training, hiring professional interpreters, using technological tools, and promoting shared responsibility.
The invaluable role of language skills in healthcare isn't under dispute. However, like Dr. Jackson's story, it demonstrates the need for a holistic approach. Tackling language barriers multifacetedly proves to be more beneficial to both patients and staff alike.
The next time you, as a healthcare provider, encounter language barriers, consider turning to No Barrier. Not only will you gain linguistic independence, freeing up your bilingual colleagues to focus on their core roles, but you'll also be transforming the healthcare narrative, one LEP patient at a time. Welcome to No Barrier, navigating the complexities of the multilingual healthcare landscape.
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