BMC international health and human rights
-
BMC Int Health Hum Rights · Jun 2018
Language interpretation conditions and boundaries in multilingual and multicultural emergency healthcare.
With an increasing migrant population globally the need to organize interpreting service arises in emergency healthcare to deliver equitable high-quality care. The aims of this study were to describe interpretation practices in multilingual emergency health service institutions and to explore the impact of the organizational and institutional context and possible consequences of different approaches to interpretation. No previous studies on these issues in multilingual emergency care have been found. ⋯ Use of interpreters was determined by health professionals, based on the patients' health status, striving to deliver as fast and individualized care as possible based on humanistic values. Defects in organizational routines need to be rectified and transcultural awareness is needed to achieve the aim of person-centered and equal healthcare. Clear formal guidelines for the use of interpreters in emergency healthcare need to be developed and it is important to fulfill health professionals' wishes for future development of prompt access to interpreters and education of interpreters and users.