At Mälarsjukhuset’s Bröstcentrum, Care to Translate has become an essential part of the workflow, ensuring that all women receive the care and information they need during their mammography screenings.
Region Sörmland coordinates both public and private healthcare services throughout Södermanlands county. Mammography screenings and examinations are conducted in Eskilstuna, Nyköping, and Katrineholm, ensuring that all women in the county have access to essential breast health services. Women who are recalled for further examination due to breast changes are referred to the specialized mammography department, Bröstcentrum, at Mälarsjukhuset.
Bröstcentrum is a dedicated facility at Mälarsjukhuset that investigates and diagnoses breast changes, including the treatment of breast cancer. The center operates in close collaboration with specialists in mammography, surgery, oncology, and cytology/pathology.
Each year, the department conducts around 2,500 mammography screenings and recalls approximately 1,100 women for further investigation. Additionally, about 3,500 women are referred by other healthcare providers for examination at the center.
One of the significant challenges faced by the mammography department at Mälarsjukhuset is the language barrier. While interpreters are routinely booked for clinical examinations where detailed information from the patient is necessary, they are not always available for initial mammography screenings. This creates a communication gap, especially for women who do not speak Swedish and may not have it noted in their medical records that they require an interpreter.
Radiology technologist Lena Fors, who has worked in radiology since 1991, highlights the difficulties in obtaining accurate patient information without proper interpretation services. Often, women bring relatives to help translate or call someone on the phone during the screening. However, these methods are not always reliable or efficient, leading to potential misunderstandings and missed information.
Lena explains, “When women come in, we need to ask questions. We need to see identification, know if they feel any changes in their breasts, or if everything feels normal. We must also know if they’ve had any breast surgeries, what type, and if there are any images we need to order. Additionally, we need to know if they’re using estrogen. All this has to be done within a limited time."
"We have about 10 minutes per patient. And that includes them getting undressed, examined, getting dressed and provided with information about what happens after the screening. That’s a lot of information”
Without proper communication, women might not fully understand the procedures, which can lead to discomfort and increased stress during the screening process.
“If we can’t communicate with the woman, she can’t relax and do as we instruct, which sometimes leads to us being a bit more forceful than we’d like,” Lena adds.
“We have to place her in the right position, lift an arm, turn her. And then she sadly won’t get the information.”
And using a relative over the phone to interpret during the screening is less than ideal.
“It takes a lot of time to get relatives on the phone.” Lena explains. “And we don’t have a lot of time as it is.”
To address these challenges, Mälarsjukhuset has implemented the Care to Translate app. The app has been a game-changer for the department, providing audio translations of essential questions in the patient’s language, making the screening process smoother and more efficient.
Lena notes the positive impact of the app, saying, “I think the app has worked really well. The women are so happy when they come in and realize that we can communicate in their language. They start answering immediately, and we sometimes have to remind them of how the app works.”
The app’s audio feature is particularly beneficial for patients who are illiterate. Lena recalls an instance where a woman who couldn’t read was overjoyed to hear the questions spoken in her language, allowing her to understand the information.
The implementation of Care to Translate has had a positive impact on patient satisfaction without disrupting the organization’s workflow. Lena has even built her own simplified playlist with the most important questions, ensuring that the process remains efficient given the 10-minute time slot per patient. And downloading languages for offline use has solved internet access issues at the department.
Despite these minor challenges, Lena believes that Care to Translate is a valuable tool for any healthcare organization facing similar communication barriers.
“Most importantly, the women get so happy when they hear their own language. And it helps us ask important questions that we need answers to for the imaging results to be as good as possible.”
Get in touch to explore how you can trial our medical translator in your department. Request a demo here.
Want to learn more about how Care to Translate is being implemented in mammography? Read our case study with Karolinska University Hospital or this blog post.
Book a demo, ask for references or get more information about our medical translations. Fill out the form or call us directly.
