Most of us have seen it in the movies and know that an interpreter is someone who translates spoken words in person. But not a lot of us know that a large part of the job involves telephone interpreting. This is especially the case for medical appointments where it can be quite a logistical challenge to have both a patient and an interpreter attend a short 10 minute GP appointment.
This then leads to the question of whether interpreting is as effective by telephone as face-to-face. And what a great question this is! Impossible to provide a detailed answer in a short online blog. However, I will try to provide a concise answer based on my professional experience as French interpreter working both by telephone and in person.
What are the advantages of using a telephone interpreter?
It is not always possible to have an interpreter face-to-face. For example, an urgent last-minute appointment with a patient may mean that you have to rely on someone quickly who is located a long distance away.
Using the services of a professional interpreter by telephone means that you will have access to a large pool of language providers and location is not a problem. If you are a busy GP or nurse, this can allow you to squeeze in a patient without having to also worry about booking an interpreter.
Telephone interpreting also allows you to reduce costs. Quite naturally it costs money to travel to and from a job. With telephone appointments, this cost does not exist. In today’s environment, this can be a very important cost-saving measure if you regularly book interpreters.
So why would you use a face-to-face interpreter?
Despite the obvious advantages of telephone interpreting, it is not always the most ideal option. Some sensitive cases can be much more difficult to manage over the telephone. For example, if a woman is giving birth and experiencing painful labour, it will not be possible to hand her the telephone to explain things.
A few years ago, I personally attended a care home in the UK to interpret for a French lady who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. The healthcare professional needed me to be physically present to be able to talk in a much more personal way to the lady. As you can imagine, being able to make eye contact and speak in person to someone who understands your language is an essential asset.
I regularly also attend French interpreting cases for people with disabilities. The use of remote interpreting is simply not an option here. Worth remembering.
What about using interpreting via video call?
During the Covid pandemic, 100% of my interpreting assignments were conducted by video call. This meant that I could continue to offer French interpreting services to clients without needing to be physically present. I will be discussing the benefits and drawbacks of telemedicine in the interpreting sector in a future blog – so watch this space!
Video call offers a clear advantage over normal telephone interpreting because you can see the people involved. Since the majority of human communication is through body language, this is much more effective.
However, all parties – interpreter, healthcare professional and patient – need to be able to download and use the technology. Let’s not forget that it is a basic human right to have access to medical care and if someone does not have access to a mobile phone or computer, then this can be a problem.
Hopefully this article has helped to show that telephone interpreting is a valid option and carries some clear benefits for busy professionals. However, it also shows that in the medical setting, people have a right to access good healthcare – and cost shouldn’t be the only factor. Having access to linguists in person or by telephone is essential in this day and age.