Video interpretation costs about $61 per patient, telephone interpre-
tation costs about $31 per patient.
9
How-ever, interpretation is reim-
bursable in many cases. Typically, facilities bill using HCPC code T-
1013. If your state is not listed here, check with them; they may reim-
burse as well.
11-17
3. Avoid using translation apps
Smartphone translation apps can produce inaccurate results, especial-
ly when technical medical terms are involved. Most are designed to
only translate basic sentences and not the specific language of health
care. Mistakes may not matter much when you're ordering dinner in a
foreign country, but in health care they can be fatal. Moreover, few if
any of these programs are HIPAA compliant, so using these services to
translate confidential patient information could expose your facility to
very costly fines.
4. Don't rely on family members
Use family members as interpreters only if there is no other option,
and there is an immediate threat to life.
18-19
Federal law prohibits
relying on a minor unless there's an immediate threat; it also prohibits
relying on an adult accompanying the patient unless it's an emergency
or the patient specifically requests that the accompanying individual
interprets and reliance on that adult for such assistance is appropriate
under the circumstances.
If you think about it, the reasons are obvious. Family members may
be fluent in the languages, but they're probably not fluent in medical
terms. A family member may feel uncomfortable in conversations
about awkward topics like sexual health, substance abuse or a termi-
nal diagnosis. Research shows that using a family member increases
the risk of medical errors.
20
It's also possible that using a family mem-
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