Doctor-Patient Communication
Going into a medical setting can be a difficult job for an interpreter. There are added legal restrictions that must be kept in mind to protect the patient’s privacy, high tensions surrounding diagnoses, and the ever-watchful eyes of friends and family. Sometimes, the patient may not “get it” the first time, so as an interpreter it is incredibly important to synthesize the information. The following article by Dr. Paul J. Dorio demonstrates the difficulty doctors have effectively communicating to their patients, regardless of whether they’re speaking the same language.