It can be a bit awkward to figure out how to best to optimally engage the medical interpreter (MI). Is the MI just the “voice” of the patient? Should they transmit only the verbal aspects? What about the nonverbal aspects of what the patient is saying? For example, if the patient is depressed should the […]
Microlectures
Microlecture 003: What to do when patient’s proxy has Limited English Proficiency
When caring for a vulnerable patient who is unable to make health decisions, we rely on the patient’s healthcare proxy to guide us. However, if the proxy has language and communication difficulties it becomes difficult to make health decisions. Watch the microlecture and try to solve the problem of how to provide patient-centered, family-oriented care […]
Microlecture 001: The Two Sentence Rule
When I interact with patients, I am eager to tell them everything they need to know about their health condition, what I am planning to do, what they need to do, and so on. While this is a wonderful thing, when I am dealing with patients with limited health literacy and English fluency, I need […]