What is a significant challenge interpreters often face in telehealth sessions?

In telehealth sessions, ensuring effective communication in virtual settings is a significant challenge for interpreters. This environment requires interpreters to navigate various technical and environmental factors that can complicate the interaction. For instance, variable internet connectivity, audio and visual quality issues, and the lack of non-verbal cues can impact the clarity and effectiveness of communication.

In face-to-face settings, interpreters rely on body language, gestures, and proximity to guide their interpretations, which may be diminished or unavailable in a virtual context. Furthermore, the emotional tone and nuances of conversation can be harder to convey through a screen, requiring interpreters to adapt their approaches actively and ensuring that both the healthcare provider and the patient understand each other fully.

While other challenges such as lack of access to experienced colleagues, difficulty in understanding technical terminology, and securing private environments can also be pertinent in telehealth, the core of an interpreter's role—facilitating clear and effective communication—makes the virtual setting particularly challenging. In this digital space, interpreters must be more vigilant to ensure they maintain the flow of communication, manage misunderstandings actively, and support the interaction as effectively as possible.