Question

In the examination room waiting for you and your medical interpreter is a 63-year-old female patient from Japan. She has come into the medical practice because of a bad case of psoriasis that has developed recently. In order to treat her, you will need to examine her scalp. What should you tell the interpreter before you enter the room? What are some of the possible sources of misunderstanding that you anticipate before entering?

Answer 1

The interpreter should be told to make the patient comfortable. This is particularly necessary because of the difference in language of communication. Also, the interpreter should be told to run the patient through the procedure to get the patient an idea of it.

The misunderstanding could be the patient's understanding of the procedure itself and some part of it might have made her uncomfortable. The interpreter might have also said something wrong mistakenly.