Medical Translation Mistakes That Can Be Dangerous
                     Medical Translation Mistakes That Can Be Dangerous 
 
 
 
Can you imagine being terribly sick or injured and unable to communicate this to a 
doctor? What about waking up from surgery only to find that the wrong procedure was 
conducted? These are the chilling possibilities that millions of Americans may face 
when confronted with a medical issue. 
 
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 25-million Americans speak English "less 
than very well." While, in the medical field, when it comes to providing quality care 
and solutions to those in need, proper communication is critical. 
  
Studies have shown (2) that the ability to successfully communicate one's symptoms 
and needs impacts the efficacy of treatment. It is estimated that roughly 70% of the 
information physicians base their diagnosis on is drawn from the patient's history and 
physical exam, both of which rely a great deal on personal communication. Patients 
who can communicate successfully with healthcare providers receive more successful 
treatments, while those who suffer from a language barrier often see less success. To 
drive the point home, about half the physicians surveyed in California in 2003 were 
personally aware of cases where the quality of care suffered due to language barriers. 
  
The Dangers of Improper Medical Translations 
 
Ad-hoc solutions such as family members or bilingual staff are often used in lieu of 
professional translation services, but these very often result in tragic 
miscommunications. The wrong word or cultural context can quite literally lead to 
someone's death if people are not careful. The use of family members and children in 
this way also raises multiple ethical and privacy concerns. 
  
 Even fluent speakers will often have issues with medical terminology, it is complicated, 
and this only reinforces the need for professional translation services. 
  
One of the most famous cases, and the one you will find most heavily referenced on this 
matter, is that of 18-year-old baseball player Willie Ramirez. In 1980, Willie fell into a 
coma and was taken to his local hospital in South Florida. When they arrived at the 
hospital, his family had communicated his issue to physicians as 'intoxicado'. This was 
interpreted as strictly 'intoxicated' when in Spanish, it could refer to the adverse effects 
of anything ingested. When trying to communicate that he had eaten something that was 
having an adverse effect, the hospital understood it as he had drunk too much. The 
resulting misdiagnosis resulted in brain bleed that left Willie quadriplegic for life. 
  
As for the hospital, since they were required to provide a professional interpreter and 
failed to do so, they were liable for a settlement of about $71 million. 
  
In another incident, the mistranslation of English software used in a French 
hospital resulted in them administering overdoses of radiation for over a year. There are 
also cases where patients have wrongly received double mastectomies and had kidneys 
removed due to mistranslations. 
  
Proper communication and professional translation services can literally mean the 
difference between life and death. 
  
Other Legal Concerns and Solutions 
 
In addition to translation mistakes, non-professional medical interpreters are often 
unaware of the need for confidentiality and other relevant legal and insurance matters. 
These concerns also arise when dealing with the medical equipment and devices 
patients use outside of supervised care. Instructions and warnings cannot be properly 
followed if they are not presented in the same language as the patient. 
  
It can be hard to imagine all of the ways that poor communication may harm a patient 
or result in lackluster care. Luckily, the solution is simple. While some hospitals have 
tried phone lines to make up for the lack of bilingual staff, the only solution that has 
shown to reduce mistakes to acceptable levels is having trained professional translators 
on hand. 
  
It has been shown that such efforts result in shorter hospital stays and readmissions, and 
overall patient satisfaction is increased. It also limits the possibility of catastrophic 
mistakes. 
 
Address: 19200 Von Karman Ave # 600, Irvine, CA 92612 
Phone: (800) 460-1536 
Website: https://thespanishgroup.org