Canada’s healthcare system is renowned for its commitment to providing quality care to all residents, regardless of their linguistic or cultural backgrounds. As a nation of diverse languages and cultures, effective communication is pivotal to ensuring equitable healthcare access.
Interpretation plays a crucial role in closing the gap that connects healthcare providers, patients, and their families. Below we will explore how interpretation can be used within your healthcare environment as it’s an integral piece to upholding your commitment to providing quality care.
Enhancing Patient-Centered Care
Interpretation services in healthcare play a pivotal role in ensuring that patients receive patient-centered care. When patients can communicate their symptoms, concerns, and medical history in their preferred language, it creates trust and rapport between all parties. Naturally, the more information healthcare providers can receive the more accurate their diagnosis and treatment plan will be.
It’s also important to note that those who do not speak English or French as their primary language may feel more comfortable and empowered when they are able to speak their mother tongue. When patients have this option, their engagement is improved, and they are more likely to adhere to their treatment plan bringing better health outcomes.
Breaking Down Language Barriers
We live in a home full of different languages and cultures, making as a multicultural society. In healthcare, language barriers can be a significant challenge. With interpretation services we can close this gap and enable effective communication between healthcare staff and patients.
Language barriers can create a decrease in recover for patients. This is because they are unable to communicate exactly what is going on and their trust is lowered with the healthcare staff. By being more inclusive and creating an accessible healthcare system, you will be able to communicate with patients in a way that creates optimal care.
Improved Accuracy & Safety
Miscommunications between patients, families and healthcare providers leads to misdiagnoses, medical errors, and can cause potential harm to the patients. Interpretation allows the patient to receive information accurately and comprehensively. This is because all parties can speak in their mother tongue allowing them to explain things to the best of their abilities. The interpreter is then able to provide the accurate information to both parties leading to a better result.
Supporting Informed Decision-Making
If language is a barrier in healthcare settings, is very easy for those who are not able to speak English and French to misinterpret what they are hearing. It’s important for all patients to understand their diagnose, treatment options and any risks or benefits.
Families are also often involved in these decisions. Healthcare providers need to ensure that family members are also able to understand and help make informed decisions on behalf of their loved ones.
Enhancing Cultural Competence
Understanding that cultural competence is also important in the healthcare setting is the key to being successful in creating an inclusive and accessible environment. Interpreters are not just there to relay information back and forth, but they are also trained in different cultural nuances. This allows them to help communicate what cultural beliefs or practices that may impact patient care and decision making.
Interpreters can then be utilized to gain insights into their patients’ cultural backgrounds and be sensitive to their care. As with everything stated above, this also creates trust between the healthcare staff and patients allowing for better care all around.
Hiring Interpreters
After hearing all the benefits of adding in an interpretation service to your healthcare establishment, you are probably wondering how we can help.
Our interpreters are trained to maintain the confidentially of patient information and adhere to all ethical standards. This commitment to professionalism contributes to a safer healthcare environment where patients can trust the information and care they are receiving.
We have worked with Mount Sinai Hospital, Ontario Health, Health Canada, Alberta Health Services and so much more throughout the country. We offer competitive rates with special offers depending on what your needs are & are available 24/7.
Language Marketplace strongly believes that our interpretation services within Canada’s healthcare system are more than just a means of communication – they are the cornerstone of equitable, patient-centered care.
Reach out today to get your quote before the school season starts! Call 1-888-294-3032 or visit: https://languagemarketplace.com/quote/