Healthcare facilities are mandated to address interpreting needs. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act requires that all federally funded institutions make “reasonable” attempts to provide meaningful access to language services for limited-English-proficiency patients. From in-person to over-the-phone to remote interpreting, various strategies have been employed to bridge language gaps. What doesn’t work is ad hoc interpreting by an untrained interpreter. All too often one hears about a young child or family member interpreting between doctor and patient, which can lead to miscommunication or inaccurate presentation of symptoms, instructions, diagnosis, and more. Or, even if a qualified interpreter is available on-site, the doctor or nurse and the interpreter may not be available at the same time, which can lead to delays in patient care.

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