Medical Interpreting: Foundations

Medical interpreting carries life-or-death stakes—a misinterpreted symptom, medication dosage, or surgical consent can cause irreversible harm. The National Code of Ethics for Healthcare Interpreters and the National Standards of Practice require accuracy, confidentiality, impartiality, and professional boundaries. Under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act and Title III of the ADA, healthcare providers must provide qualified interpreters for Deaf patients—family members and untrained bilingual staff are not qualified substitutes. Studies show that using unqualified interpreters in medical settings increases diagnostic errors by 50-70 percent compared to professional medical interpreters.