Need Health Care? Can't Speak Japanese? No Problem!

During the past several decades, the foreign population has been growing and growing. As such, language and cultural differences between them and Japanese-speaking institutions are causing great concern in some sectors about the quality of service being received by those with limited Japanese speaking skills.

Recently, some innovative programs in several areas in Japan have provided interpreting services in health care settings. In this month's issue, I'll introduce you to health care interpreting services in Japan.

What's a Health Care Interpreter?

The California Standards for Health Care Interpreters Association defines it as one, who adheres to the professional code of ethics and protocols of health care interpreters, who is knowledgeable about medical terminology, and who can accurately and completely communicate from one language to another.

The interpreting session takes place in health care settings of any sort, including doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals. Typically, the setting is an interview between a health care provider and a patient.

The Roles of Health Care Interpreters

The fundamental purpose of health care interpreting is to facilitate communication between two parties who do not speak the same language and do not share the same culture. Various obstacles to cross-cultural communication include language complexity, differences in cultural norms, as well as organizational or systemic barriers facing the foreign patient.

So, the roles of health care interpreter include the following:

Message Converter: In this role, interpreters are supposed to convert the meaning of all the messages from one language to another, without additions, deletions, or changes in meaning.

Message Clarifier: In the message clarifier role, interpreters should identify possible words or concepts that might lead to misunderstandings. When the interpreters notice them, they need to interrupt the communication, and alert the parties that there are signs of confusion.

Culture Clarifier: The culture clarifier role goes beyond word clarification. When there is evidence that any of the parties may be confused by cultural differences, interpreters need to interrupt the communication process, identify cultural concerns that could be impeding mutual understanding, and assist each party in explaining the cultural concept.

Patient Advocate: Patients with limited language proficiency find it difficult to advocate for their own right to the same level of care as the native speakers. In this situation, interpreters are often the only individuals in a position to recognize a problem and advocate on behalf of the patient. Health care interpreters have duty-of-care function.

Health Care Interpreter Skills

To play all the roles of health care interpreting effectively, the interpreters should have special skills. The following six components are essential in determining whether or not a candidate is qualified to be a health care interpreter.

Basic Language Skills

Code of Ethics

Familiarity with Cultural Issues

Health Care Terminology

Integrated Interpreting Skills

Simple Translating Skills

What Are the Issues in Certification in Japan?

As some of you may already know, formal certification of health care interpreters currently doesn't exist in Japan. Recently, there has been a growing desire among communities to establish closer ties with others in the field of health care interpreting, with the goal of establishing national standards, training programs, and certification.

These multiple regional efforts will provide valuable experience with different approaches to certification, which can later inform the development of a national process.

hope that interest in health care interpreting grows and that Japan becomes well established in the field.