I12 - Interpreting: Healthcare, Level 1

This 90-minute session will explain the profession of medical translators and interpreters in the USA. Healthcare interpreters and translators provide language services to healthcare patients with limited English proficiency, helping them to communicate with doctors, nurses, and other emergency room, medical and hospital staff, and convert into the target language the needed forms, brochures and other patient materials issued by hospitals, doctors’ offices and medical facilities.

This introduction will explain the basic elements to enter the growing field of medical interpreting and translation, understand the roles, responsibilities and boundaries, explore the challenges and ethical dilemmas, study specific techniques needed to ensure accuracy, and the concepts, skills and knowledge needed to pursue certification. It will also review the importance of medical terminology, as well as the legal environment created by HIPAA and Executive Order 13166 “Improving access to services for persons with Limited English Proficiency”.