Interpreting medicine: lessons from a Spanish-language clinic.
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 25201742.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1370/afm.1661 and PMC identifier 4157986.
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Abstract
Caring for patients is an act of interpretation: we labor to understand the significance of a particular symptom and, when we have reached a diagnosis, we convert our medical jargon into plain language for the benefit of the patient. Caring for patients of limited English proficiency-a population that needs a very literal form of interpretation-underscores this lesson. Working with predominantly Spanish-speaking patients has shown me the importance of bearing witness to patients' struggles and has brought me to realize that good physicians must work to forge a common language with all their patients, not only with those who do not speak English.
Medical subject headings
- Ambulatory Care Facilities
- Communication Barriers
- Hispanic or Latino