medical interpretersWhy Choose Interpreters Unlimited For Your Medical Interpreters

Interpreters Unlimited (IU) was one of the sponsors of, and attended, the recent Next Generation Patient Experience (NGPX) Healthcare Conference in our headquarter city of San Diego, California. The focus was improving all aspects of the healthcare experience for patients, and of course medical interpreters play a big part in this. Patient Experience is always one of our top priorities. This is what we do. Let us show you why IU should be the “go to” for the language needs of your patients.

Patient Experience

Seeing a doctor is one of the most vulnerable positions for a person to be in, now imagine not speaking the same language as those who surround you. The ability to bring comfort and familiarity to these situations is immeasurable. At IU, we pride ourselves in our first-class patient experience and outstanding customer support. Our linguists have years of training and expertise in creating a more human, comfortable and fulfilling experience for every occasion, a positive memory for every patient. They are highly skilled in cultural awareness, sensitivity and medical scenarios. We understand that healthcare doesn’t take a break, so our services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Choose the Right Language Service for Your Healthcare System

IU specializes in providing top of the line patient experiences for Limited English-Speaking individuals or those who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. We are one of the nation’s largest Language Service Providers serving major health systems across the entire United States. Offering in person interpretation, telephone interpretation, video remote interpretation, document translation and American Sign Language, we are prepared to fill your communication needs. With almost 50 years of experience, a nationwide network of over 9,000 contracted linguists covering over 200 languages, 24/7 service, and a 99% fill rate, IU is the premier language service provider for the healthcare industry.

Our Interpreters Are

Section 1557 Compliant  |  Medically Qualified  |  Available as Needed for Joint Commission Audits

Language Services are Necessary for Health Systems

As the United States grows increasingly more diverse in linguistics and culture, it is becoming more important than ever that healthcare facilities provide proficient, qualified medical language services, life science translators and hospital interpreters in order to ensure delivery of the best healthcare for patients. The Limited and Non-English Speaking population in the United States is ever growing, currently over 25 million, and with the US foreign-born population anticipated to double by 2050, the need for language services continues to rise with no signs of slowing.

Any lack in interpretation skills can mean disaster for patients – relying on non-professionals to bridge language barriers can increase the risk of wrong procedures, diagnosis misunderstandings, medication errors, readmission’s and more. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 9% of the population in the U.S. is at risk because of language barriers. And 9% is too many. It has been shown that the most common problems due to a lack of interpreters is a lack of informed consent and medication errors.

Friends and Family Members

What about patients’ family members and friends? Most organizations advise against using loved ones on grounds that they can unintentionally do more harm than good. For one, family members and friends may not be familiar with the medical terminology in one or both languages. Second, emotions are involved when an impartial third-party hospital interpreter is not used.

In one documented case as stated in Modern Healthcare, a clinician communicated in French to a patient who spoke only Creole. In French, “estomac” means “stomach; in Creole, the similar-sounding “lestomak” can refer to the chest. Using no interpreter or an under-qualified interpreter can lead to a procedure on the wrong organ or body part – a potentially life-threatening error might ensue.

Contracting Qualified Healthcare Linguists

Many hospitals and medical facilities contract with companies that provide healthcare interpreters, life science translators and medical translation services. Most hospitals now have established at minimum phone-based interpretation services, and it’s common for facilities in large urban areas to have comprehensive, in-house interpretation and translation professionals available. According to the International Customer Management Institute, studies have shown that language services have improved satisfaction with customer service by 72%, and increased brand loyalty by 58%, creating a better patient experience.

The availability of interpreters in medical facilities is crucial to maintain an efficient and safe operation for hospital staff and patients alike. A lack of available interpreters can mean minutes or hours of delays for staff members as they wait for a professional to arrive or as they try to find a qualified professional. Time is often of the essence in medical settings, and for the well-being of patients and staff, the Joint Commission requires hospitals to provide professional interpretation services to every patient who needs them.

Why Choose Interpreters Unlimited?

  • With almost 50 years of experience, we know the needs of healthcare providers and their patients.
  • We are one of the nation’s largest Language Service Providers serving major health systems across the entire United States.
  • Interpreters are trained in HIPAA privacy regulations and are up to date on the latest medical terminology in their native tongue and target language.
  • Our linguists have years of training and experience to create a more human, comfortable and fulfilling experience for every situation, for every patient.
  • Our linguists are skilled in cultural awareness and sensitivity, medical scenarios, and creating a positive memory and experience.
  • With a nationwide network of over 9,000 contracted linguists covering over 200 languages and American Sign Language, Interpreters Unlimited is the premier language service provider for the healthcare industry.
  • 24/7 Live Customer Service.
  • 99% Fill Rate ensures an interpreter for your patients next appointment.
  • We understand that healthcare doesn’t take a break, so our services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
  • With our proprietary “Match-Connect” software we make requesting an interpreter completely transparent, easy and trackable, keeping clients and patients informed every step of the way.

Our Services Include:

  • In Person Interpretation
  • Telephone Interpretation
  • Video Remote Interpretation
  • Document Translation
  • American Sign Language
  • Medical Background and Experience
  • HIPAA Compliance

About Us

Making Connections Nationwide. Interpreters Unlimited provides comprehensive foreign language and American Sign Langauge services in the United States. IU works with every major industry including, healthcare, government, education, corporate and insurance, providing high-quality language services for onsite, over-the-phone and video remote interpretation services. For more information, please call 800-726-9891 to speak with a representative.

Media Contact

Marc Westray
(858)275-2582
marc(dot)westray(at)iugroup.com