Striving for positive healthcare experiences in 2024

The holiday season is barely over, and while many enjoyed some time off, the healthcare sector remained tirelessly operational. During the festive period and into January, Region Stockholm releases weekly reports on the healthcare situation. One of the latest reports indicate a strained but manageable situation. This likely mirrors conditions in other regions and countries.

To provide proper care, effective communication with patients is crucial, especially when language barriers exist. Unfortunately, Sweden and other countries face a shortage of healthcare interpreters, and holidays exacerbate this scarcity.

Children and relatives as interpreters

In 2018, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare tasked the Linnaeus University with assessing the use of children and relatives as interpreters in healthcare and social services. The findings reveal that, in certain situations, all surveyed facilities resort to minors and family members instead of professional interpreters, particularly during unplanned visits.

A November 24, 2023, editorial in Dagens Nyheter highlighted a case where a child had to interpret during their mother's childbirth, underscoring the ongoing challenges in healthcare.

Positive accounts

While we at Care to Translate consistently hear success stories from users about our tool aiding healthcare professionals and patients in critical communication, my hope for 2024 is to witness even more of these positive accounts rather than relying on children and relatives to interpret sensitive medical information.

Want to join our cause? Book a meeting and see how you can start to tearing down language barriers in healthcare.

/Maja Magnusson
CEO, Care to Translate