In the high-stakes realm of healthcare, clear communication can mean the difference between life and death. Yet for patients with limited proficiency in the local language, medical interpretation becomes the lifeline through which diagnosis, treatment, and consent are mediated. This article explores the complex challenges faced by medical interpreters and healthcare providers, focusing on accuracy, ethics, emotional labor, and institutional constraints.

medical interpretation, language barriers, healthcare communication, interpreter accuracy, patient safety, health disparities.

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