Medical Translation in a City of Immigrants

From: Sarah Kramer
Series: Interpreting Health: Language and Cultural Barriers for Immigrants at NYC Hospitals
Length: 08:15

One out of four New Yorkers doesn't speak or understand complex sentences in English. But at some point in their lives, every one of them will need to see a doctor. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Medical Translation in a City of Immigrants
From: Sarah Kramer

Interpretationsignsq_small One out of four New Yorkers doesn't speak or understand complex sentences in English. But at some point in their lives, every one of them will need to see a doctor. Language barriers can result in misdiagnoses, medication errors, and potentially fatal mistakes that are costly for both patients and providers. For this reason, hospitals in New York are required to provide “meaningful language access” to all patients. But in a city where more than 140 different languages are spoken, this is no easy task.

This is Part 1 of a series called Interpreting Health, By Sarah Kate Kramer

More from Sarah Kramer

Caption: Halima holds her health insurance card, Credit: Sarah Kate Kramer

Cultural Barriers at New York City Hospitals (08:04)
From: Sarah Kramer

Cultural sensitivity has become a necessary instrument in providing medical care for the city's immigrant population.

Proving Persecution (06:05)
From: Sarah Kramer

Each year, tens of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution make their way to the United States and ask for asylum. But before they're allowed to stay, they have to ...

The Kids Are Listening (04:04)
From: Sarah Kramer

What do kids think about the Patriot Act? How do they think government should protect citizens? We sought out youth from New York City to find out. This piece was the winner ...

Caption: A grrb with his wares., Credit: Sarah K. Kramer

Grrb: The Water seller (03:40)
From: Sarah Kramer

A sound portrait of a Moroccan "Grrb," a water seller.

Caption: Moroccan graduates protest unemployment, Credit: Sarah Kramer

Morocco's Educated Unemployed (05:21)
From: Sarah Kramer

Thousands of young people in Morocco proudly hold Masters and PHD degrees. What they don't have are jobs...

Caption: A Morchidate preaches to a group at the Moulay Abdullah Oncology Hospital, Credit: Sarah Kramer

Moroccan Morchidates (03:55)
From: Sarah Kramer

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has a new approach for countering Islamic extremism in his country: Female Preachers.

Piece Description

One out of four New Yorkers doesn't speak or understand complex sentences in English. But at some point in their lives, every one of them will need to see a doctor. Language barriers can result in misdiagnoses, medication errors, and potentially fatal mistakes that are costly for both patients and providers. For this reason, hospitals in New York are required to provide “meaningful language access” to all patients. But in a city where more than 140 different languages are spoken, this is no easy task.

This is Part 1 of a series called Interpreting Health, By Sarah Kate Kramer