Intercultural Mediation in Healthcare:

Name: Intercultural Mediation in Healthcare:
Price: $8.99 USD
Author: Izabel E. T. de V. Souza, Ph.D.
ISBN: 9781524512712

From the Professional Medical Interpreters’ Perspective.

by Izabel E. T. de V. Souza, Ph.D.

Formats

E-Book

$8.99

Softcover

$19.99

Hardcover

$29.99

E-Book

$8.99

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 8/12/2016

Format : E-Book

Dimensions : N/A

Page Count : 352

ISBN : 9781524512712

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 352

ISBN : 9781524512729

Format : Hardcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 352

ISBN : 9781524512736

About the Book

Cultural differences pose certain complexities to the work of medical interpreters. They face unique, and sometimes conflicting demands from healthcare providers, culturally diverse patients, and their healthcare organizations. It is important for this topic to be explored from the professional interpreter’s perspective, as they are the ultimate experts of their own practice. Their accounts point to the fact that intercultural mediation is an integral and important part of their work, and that the vast majority of interpreters worldwide is practicing it competently and responsibly. Intercultural Mediation in Healthcare showcases the results of an international doctoral study exploring the perspectives of 458 interpreter practitioners from 25 different countries. The book reveals the intricacies of how interpreters are bridging cultural gaps between providers and patients, with data compiled and cross-referenced from four different sources. Academic research and published standards of practice for the profession were reviewed and analyzed. Interpreters were ultimately given a voice to describe this important component of their work. According to medical interpreters, they play a significant role in intercultural communication mediation: a role that goes well beyond being a linguistic conduit. A deeper understanding of what intercultural mediation is, and what it isn’t, is essential not only to interpreters, but also to other related stakeholders: educators, researchers, administrators, and policy makers, or anyone who wishes to better understand where interpreters fit in the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

About the Author

Izabel E. T. de V. Souza, MEd, CMI-S, PhD Dr. Souza (formerly Arocha), MEd, CMI-Spanish, PhD, is an intercultural communication expert with over thirty years of experience. Dr. Souza has worked as a translator, a certifi ed interpreter (conference, legal, medical, escort, religious), a language professor, a language testing expert, an interpreting/translation educator, and an expert witness on issues related to language access and profi ciency and translation and interpretation services. Dr. Souza is the health committee chair of the National Language Access Coalition and the Florida Language Access Coalition Chapter. She is also on the editorial board of BABEL, the academic journal of the International Federation of Translators (FIT). She is a passionate global advocate for language access as a human right and has published articles on language services reimbursement (US), interpreter education, and other related topics. Her teaching experience spans Boston University, Cambridge College, Osaka University, and Bridging the Gap. She serves the advisory board of Miami Dade College. Dr. Souza served as president and executive director of the International Medical Interpreters Association, or IMIA (www.imiaweb.org), and is one of two founders of the National Board of Certifi cation for Medical Interpreters. Dr. Souza also served as secretary general for the International Federation of Translators, or FIT (www.fi t-ift.org), an organization representing over a hundred associations worldwide. As the head of the FIT delegation to the International Standards Organization, or ISO, and as an ISO and ASTM Standards delegate in SC5 and F43 committees respectively, she participates in the development of interpreting and translation standards. Her research involves interpreter competencies, certifi cation, language access systems, cultural competency and humility, and intercultural mediation in health care. She has received numerous awards for her work. Fluent in French, Portuguese, and Spanish, she obtained her certifi cate in translation in 1981 from the University of Cambridge, UK; a bachelor’s degree in management from Lesley University; a master’s degree in education from Boston University; and a PhD in interpreting from Osaka University, Japan. She was born in Australia and lived in Belgium, Spain, Japan, Mexico, former Yugoslavia, and Brazil, prior to moving to the United States. She currently lives in Miami Beach, Florida, and has a private consulting practice at www.drsouza.org.

Customer Reviews

"This book is written by and for medical interpreters, with our input. It brings the perspective of 458 interpreters from around the globe and helps us better understand our critical role in communicating between patients, their families and providers. Thank you Izabel for advancing the field!"

Linda Joyce
With concentrated populations becoming more diverse in terms of language and culture, and with the pressing focus on the best delivery of health care, comes a need to have a working relationship between patient and heath care providers that go beyond simply interpreting one language into another. The book, INTERCULTURAL MEDIATION in HEALTHCARE: FROM THE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL INTERPRETORS’PERSPECTIVE by Izabel E. T. De V. Souza, Ph. D serves as a guide to be more efficient and helpful with the patient’s understanding about the care they are being provided and how to be better able to participate in their own care. For trained and practicing professional medical interpreters, this book describes a theoretical framework from which to work from. There is the connection of language and culture, the context of providing culturally competent healthcare services to culturally diverse patients and essential work of medical interpreters in the delivery of services. The book also reviews the relevant Professional Standard of Practice, discusses the research design and methodology, study results and much more. Readers in the field of medical interpreting can benefit by gaining a fresh insight about the practice of intercultural interpreting. This book is a “must read”.

William Garcia
.With concentrated populations becoming more diverse in terms of language and culture, and with the pressing focus on the best healthcare delivery, comes a need to have a working relationship between patient and healthcare providers that go beyond simply translating one language into another. The book, INTERCULTURAL MEDIATION in HEALTHCARE: FROM THE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL INTERPRETERS’ PERSPECTIVE by IZABEL E. T. DE V. SOUZA, Ph.D. serves as a guide to be more efficient and helpful with the patient’s understanding about the care they are being provided and how to better be able to participate in their own care. For the trained and practicing professional medical interpreters, this book describes a theoretical framework from which to work. There is the connection of language and culture, the context of providing culturally competent healthcare services to culturally diverse patients and essential work of medical interpreters in the delivery of services. The book also reviews the relevant Professional Standard of Practice, discusses the research design and methodology, study results and much more. Readers in the field of medical interpreting can benefit by gaining a fresh insight about the practice of Intercultural Interpreting. This book is a “MUST READ”!!!

William Garcia
Dr. Souza's book is a treasure trove of practical and theoretical information. The best part is the it was written from different points of view: the interpreter, the trainer and the observer. Those perspectives give the final material a richness and applicability that none of them individually could have imparted . I highly recommend Intercultural Mediation in Healthcare not only to practicing interpreters, but also to interpreter trainers, doctors and agencies who provide interpreting services in the healthcare setting.

Giovanna Lester, CT
Intercultural Medication in Healthcare delivers a valid and interesting account of the important role of cultural mediation, portrayed as equally imprtant to linguistic mediation, in supporting healthcare organizations to provide quality culturally competent care, thus positively affecting patient satisfaction, trust, compliance and healthcare outcomes. What makes the book distinctive from other literature on the topic is that is was written from the perspective and through seeking the professional opinions of the experts in the practice of medical interpreting; the medical interpreters themselves and the literature is validated through both qualitative and quantitave measures. The book is written in a very engaing style and its luterature and findings will help not only medical interpreters and healthcare organization, but also educators, healthcare providers, researchers and all working with multicultural and diverse population.

Maisa Haddad, MA. CHI™
Intercultural Medication in Healthcare delivers a valid and interesting account of the important role of cultural mediation, portrayed as equally imprtant to linguistic mediation, in supporting healthcare organizations to provide quality culturally competent care, thus positively affecting patient satisfaction, trust, compliance and healthcare outcomes. What makes the book distinctive from other literature on the topic is that is was written from the perspective and through seeking the professional opinions of the experts in the practice of medical interpreting; the medical interpreters themselves and the literature is validated through both qualitative and quantitave measures. The book is written in a very engaing style and its luterature and findings will help not only medical interpreters and healthcare organization, but also educators, healthcare providers, researchers and all working with multicultural and diverse

Maisa Haddad, MA. CHI
"The author has an incredible expertise in the field. I was so lucky to have shared a long professional experience with her, and I had the chance to admire her deep knowledge of any aspect of medical interpreting. I am really eager to read this book, which I have no doubt will be a milestone for this profession, also thanks to Izabel?s great skills and humanity. "

Maurizio Di Fresco
"This book is written by and for medical interpreters, with our input. It brings the perspective of 458 interpreters from around the globe and helps us better understand our critical role in communicating between patients, their families and providers. Thank you Izabel for advancing the field!"

Linda Joyce
Great read!

Marilyn Sienkiewicz
Wonderful book! Very helpful and with great insight!

Sophia
Izabel's dedication shines through and this is an important contribution to the field of medical interpreting!

Jaimee Law
An amazing book for medical interpreters. It describes the profession and discusses important aspects when communication is a critical matter. Thanks the author for the contribution to the field.

Patricia Gimenez
Loved it. Good read.

Anon
Izabel’s book is a counterweight to the concept that medical interpreters should be simple invisible conduits who mechanically provide oral translation. Extensive surveys and focus groups show that interpreters throughout the world are indeed serving as intercultural mediators. Many of them help medical providers and patients truly understand one another by adding explanations that were not explicitly said by the provider or patient. For example, medical interpreters help providers understand the patients’ cultural beliefs so they can be integrated into the treatment plan. Izabel describes how challenging this expanded role can be – in that providers may not wish to give up control of the flow of conversation. With experience, interpreters learn how and when to intervene while supporting the provider-patient rapport. This book is an important look at how interpreters really do their jobs and the contribution they make to medical care. It should be read by medical interpreters everywhere – and by the providers who rely on interpreters to communicate with patients. Gail Price-Wise, SM, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health President, Florida Center for Cultural Competence, Inc. Author, An Intoxicating Error: Mistranslation, Medical Malpractice, and Prejudice

Gail Price-Wise
Medical Interpreting is a fairly new profession, even though the field of interpreting is ancient. If this particular specialization in interpreting existed previously, it was not recognized as separate from any other interpreting activity, and it was certainly not acknowledged as professional field in its own right; but most of all, it was not researched and examined. Specifically, it was not examined through the point of view of medical interpreters, and it was not situated as intercultural mediation. That is why the work of Izabel Souza is so important and timely. At the age when so many of us involved in global intercommunications, where global platform welcomes so many languages and cultures, the new arena of innovative medical practices and technologies, including medical interpreting become more and more visible and important. As a certified medical interpreter with over 20 years of practice in the field and as a bilingual writer, I was specifically fascinated with the connection, so prominently explored by the author, between language & culture and intercultural mediation. The concept of “interpreting culture” is fascinating in itself. What does it involve? How can one interpret values, ethics, emotions? This study explores all of the above with the methodical precision of an expert, through the lenses of interpreter, provider, and the patient, with examination of steps and practices involved. It is invaluable that Dr. Souza’s book provides the reader with so many different prospective and thorough understanding of the experience, being it medical provider, interpreter, or the patient receiving treatment and language assistance through linguistic and cultural mediation. I highly recommend this book for those that wish to deepen their understanding of interpreter practice in healthcare.

Jenya Krein, CMI
Interpreters are often expected to act as mediators; they are also frequently asked not to do it. This confusion is also present in Interpreting Studies as a research field, where intercultural mediation in healthcare interpreting is currently one of the hottest issues. This book addresses the topic head on and provides novel insights into it. It addresses such seemingly prosaic but crucial topics such as timing or advantages and disadvantages of addressing cultural issues, while also dealing with thornier themes like strategies and challenges This book gives a voice to practitioners, who are not always present in the more theoretical discussion that takes place in academia. The most relevant part of this contribution is found in Chapter seven, in the form of a set of recommendations for educators, healthcare providers, interpreters, researchers and the healthcare system. In sum, this serious and thorough study convincingly exposes a broad range of arguments for the consideration of medical interpreters as cultural mediators and as members of the healthcare team. This approach to solutions of culturally based communicative breakdowns is grounded in years of professional practice . Therefore, this is an invaluable tool for the healthcare interpretation community as whole.

Lluís Baixauli-Olmos
I truly appreciate my colleague's, Izabel Arocha, dedication to significant research to the field of medical interpreting. At this time, Izabel is the only international author who has analyzed, researched, and published the medical interpreter's perspective in over 25 countries. This extensive research is extremely important since medical interpreters are an integral member to the medical team, and ultimately is the connection that increases the quality of patient care, and positive healthcare results. Thank you Izabel!

Tessa Donato
"The author has an incredible expertise in the field. I was so lucky to have shared a long professional experience with her, and I had the chance to admire her deep knowledge of any aspect of medical interpreting. I am really eager to read this book, which I have no doubt will be a milestone for this profession, also thanks to Izabel?s great skills and humanity. "

Maurizio Di Fresco
"This book is written by and for medical interpreters, with our input. It brings the perspective of 458 interpreters from around the globe and helps us better understand our critical role in communicating between patients, their families and providers. Thank you Izabel for advancing the field!"

Linda Joyce

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