Interpreting Services - Healthcare
ISO 21998 covers requirements for interpreting services in healthcare settings - hospitals, clinics, and medical consultations.
- Healthcare Interpreting
- Medical Settings
- Patient Communication
- Clinical Accuracy
- Confidentiality
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About ISO 21998:2020 - Interpreting Services - Healthcare
ISO 21998:2020 specifies requirements for interpreting services in healthcare settings - covering hospitals, clinics, general practice surgeries, mental health services, and other medical and health contexts. It is part of the ISO interpreting standards family and addresses the unique challenges of medical interpreting, where communication accuracy directly affects patient safety and health outcomes.
Healthcare interpreting is a specialized field requiring interpreters to possess not only linguistic competence in both working languages but also knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, pharmacology, and clinical procedures in both language and cultural contexts. ISO 21998 recognizes these demands by specifying competence requirements that go beyond those in general interpreting standards.
The standard covers all forms of healthcare interpreting including hospital interpreting (inpatient and outpatient settings), primary care interpreting (GP consultations, preventive care), mental health interpreting (psychiatric assessments, therapy sessions), and emergency interpreting (accident and emergency, urgent care). It applies to both in-person interpreting and remote interpreting via telephone or video.
ISO 21998 specifies requirements for healthcare interpreting service providers covering pre-assignment preparation (including review of patient records and medical terminology), conduct during the interpreting assignment (accuracy, impartiality, and management of emotional content), and post-assignment activities (debriefing and self-care for interpreters dealing with traumatic content).
A distinctive feature of healthcare interpreting standards is the recognition of the emotional and psychological demands placed on interpreters working with patients experiencing serious illness, trauma, or end-of-life situations. ISO 21998 requires that interpreting service providers have policies in place to support interpreter wellbeing.
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