Bildnachweis: EnglishBusiness GmbH.
Good healthcare has always relied on precise communication. But what happens when patients don’t understand the language spoken by the medical staff? In a country like Germany, which welcomes millions of international guests every year and has a diverse population, this question is of central importance. In an increasingly multicultural society, language accessibility in healthcare is not a luxury, but a necessity.
However, hospitals in Germany offer very little language support. More often than not, signage is exclusively in German, and hospital staff might not be proficient in English, or any other language. Recently, a colleague from the US had to spend a night in a Hamburg hospital due to a medical emergency. The registration and treatment went smoothly – but only because they were accompanied by a German-speaking colleague who was able to interpret. Without this support, diagnosis, clarification, and treatment would have been much more difficult. Our American colleague was surprised by the lack of language support, expecting a setup similar to the one in the US.
What does the US do differently?
In healthcare facilities within the US, patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are entitled to receive language interpretation services. The legal grounds for this are several federal laws and regulations. These include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 13166, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These laws collectively prohibit discrimination based on national origin and require healthcare providers receiving federal funding to offer language assistance services, including interpretation and translation, to ensure meaningful and comprehensive access to healthcare for all patients. Although Germany’s General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), also known as the Anti-Discrimination Act, prohibits discrimination based on race, ethnic origin, gender, et cetera, it does not extend to access to other languages than German.
Interpreting services in hospitals: Overcoming language barriers, improving treatment
Some US healthcare providers employ in-house interpreters for the most commonly needed languages, including American Sign Language (ASL). Others rely on remote interpreting services over the phone or via video, or a combination of all three services. Patients are enabled to communicate with their healthcare provider in a language of their choice. Videoand over-the-phone interpreting are fast and easy ways to connect medically trained interpreters with patients and medical staff within minutes, especially if on-site interpreters are not available.
Advantages for providers and patients
- Faster diagnoses: clear communication shortens the time to the right treatment.
- Compliance: the statutory duty to provide information is also fulfilled for patients who speak a foreign language.
- Cost savings: avoiding incorrect treatment and re-admissions reduces costs in the long term.
- Patient satisfaction: patients who feel understood trust the medical staff and are more likely to follow their recommendations.
Patient communication does not stop with the initial treatment
When patients are discharged from the hospital or have seen a doctor, it is crucial that they understand their medical documents – especially discharge reports and doctor’s letters, which contain important information on follow-up care.
The challenge: Language barriers in after-care
Many patients receive medical documents in a language that they do not understand at all or not well enough. This often leads to misunderstandings, incomplete medication intake, or the omission of necessary check-ups. The result: patients return with the same complaints – an avoidable risk to their health and a burden on the healthcare system.
The solution: AI-supported instant translation
Today, modern AI technologies enable the automated, precise, and data-protection-compliant translation of medical documents in just a few minutes. Companies like The Language Group LLC offer specialised translation services that correctly translate medical terminology while protecting the patient’s personal data and retaining the original formatting. The result is reviewed by a native-speaking subject-matter expert to ensure compliance with regulations and accuracy in translation. The process is ISO 18587 certified and delivered in under fifteen minutes – sometimes less, depending on the volume of content. Thanks to this combination of automated translation and human review, patients receive their discharge documents in their native language – clear, comprehensible, and medically correct. This not only improves understanding of recommended after-care measures but also increases the likelihood that these will actually be implemented.
The benefits:
- Comprehensibility creates trust and impact.
- Faster discharge process frees up capacities for medical staff.
- Patients are less likely to misunderstand or neglect their after-care needs.
- Fewer readmissions save costs for hospitals as well as healthcare providers.
What can we learn from the healthcare system in the US?
The integration of interpreting services and automated translation solutions into treatment and discharge processes is an effective and necessary step towards greater patient safety, better care, and more efficient processes. Especially in international cities or underserved communities, it can make the difference between successful treatment and a risky misunderstanding, which in turn also saves costs for all involved parties.
About the author:
Marlen Schrader is Managing Director at EnglishBusiness GmbH, a consulting firm for international communication and member of The Language Group of Companies. For the past 15 years, Marlen has been active in various positions in the language service industry, supporting clients with their communications needs.
