CHALLENGES IN MEDICAL INTERPRETATION: ACCURACY CAN SAVE LIVES

Аннотация

In the high-stakes realm of healthcare, clear communication can mean the difference between life and death. Yet for patients with limited proficiency in the local language, medical interpretation becomes the lifeline through which diagnosis, treatment, and consent are mediated. This article explores the complex challenges faced by medical interpreters and healthcare providers, focusing on accuracy, ethics, emotional labor, and institutionalconstraints. Keywords: medical interpretation, language barriers, healthcare communication, interpreter accuracy, patient safety, health disparities. INTRODUCTION. In hospital rooms around the world, medical interpreters are the unseen bridge between patients and providers. Their presence is often taken for granted until a misinterpreted word leads to a clinical error or legal complication. Language barriers in healthcareare more than aninconvenience –theycan befatal. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 15% of the global population faces language barriers when seeking care in a second language. In multicultural societies, this number may be significantly higher. From explaining symptoms and understanding diagnoses to providing informed consent, patients who do not speak the dominant language are at a distinct disadvantage. Medical interpreters step into this gap, attemptingto restore equity in communication. However, medical interpretation is not simply about translating words – it involves navigating complex medical jargon, cultural nuances, emotional stress, and institutional time constraints. Interpreters must make split-second decisions about terminology, tone, and confidentiality, often without formal medical training. METHODOLOGY. This study uses aqualitative, theoretical-analytical methodology toexaminechallenges in medical interpretation, drawing on: Literature review, Case analysis, Theoretical frameworks. This methodology allows a deep exploration of both systemic issues and human experiences within the field of medical interpretation. The aim is to reveal the invisiblecomplexities behind each interpreted medical encounter. RESULTS. Empirical studies reveal that interpretation errors are both common and impactful. Flores et al. (2012) documented 396 errors across 133 medical encounters, with 63%having potential clinical consequences. Themost frequent errors included:  Omissions – Failing to translate key phrases such as medication dosages or follow-up instructions.  Additions – Inserting unsolicited opinions or extra information not stated by the original speaker.  Substitutions – Replacing one word or concept with another, often due to a lack of familiaritywith medical terminology. page1823 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue04,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai  Editorialization – Offering personal explanations or summaries that alter the intended message. These errors are particularly dangerous when they occur in emergency care, oncology, or surgical settings, where decisions are made rapidly andrequire fullclarity. Misinterpretation can result in delayed diagnoses, incorrect treatments, medication errors, or even surgical mishaps. In one real-world case from California, a Spanish-speaking patient with "intoxicado" (meaning food poisoning) was misinterpreted as "intoxicated" (meaning alcohol-related), delaying treatment for a brain hemorrhage and causing permanent disability. Such cases illustrate how semantic confusion leads directly to adverse clinical events. Medical interpreters often internalize the emotional weight of the conversations they facilitate. Interpreting distressing news – such as terminal diagnoses or discussions about palliative care – leads to emotional fatigue, especially when interpreters lack psychological support. Many interpreters report vicarious trauma, particularly when working with refugees, children, orvictimsof violence. Hospitals and clinics often lack dedicated interpreter services, particularly in rural or under-resourced areas. Even when interpreters are available, healthcare staff may fail to utilize them due to time constraints, unawareness, or assumptions about patient proficiency. As a result, unqualified individuals (e.g., bilingual staff or family members) are used instead, which significantly increases therisk of miscommunication and confidentiality breaches. Cultural norms heavily influence communication styles, decision-making, and consent. Interpreters often navigate conflicting values between Western biomedical ethics (e.g., direct disclosure of prognosis) and non-Western patient preferences (e.g., protective family mediation). This can cause friction, misunderstanding, and moral dilemmas, particularly when family members request information tobe withheld from thepatient. DISCUSSION. The traditional model views interpreters as neutral conduits – a perspective that