title: Using interpreters in medical consultations: What is said and what is translated-A descriptive analysis using RIAS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the concordance of original utterances by healthcare providers (HCP) and patients with the corresponding translations by interpreters using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Video recordings of interpreted consultations were transcribed. Transcription was performed by professional interpreters, who first transcribed consultations in both languages, then provided a translation of what was said in the foreign language. Based on the translations, the videos were coded and analysed using RIAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 19 consultations with a total recording time of 865min were analysed. The main finding is the large difference in the number of utterances in the original language compared to the number of utterances in the target language: about one third of the HCPs' and the patients' utterances were not translated. In no instance were omissions explained to HCP or patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpreters in this sample did not always translate what had been said precisely; they omitted utterances by both HCPs and patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All participants of an interpreted consultation must be made aware of potential omissions in the process of translation. Further understanding of the causes and consequences of omissions is needed.
authors.affiliation: Basel University Hospital, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: marina.sleptsova@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sleptsova
authors.affiliation: Basel University Hospital, Department of Medical Processes and Quality Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: heidemarie.weber@PraxisfuerLogotheraphie.onmicrosoft.com.
authors.forename: Heidemarie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Basel University Hospital, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: schopfa@tcd.ie.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Schöpf
authors.affiliation: Gesellschaft für empirische Beratung mbH, Postfach 1729, D-79017 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Electronic address: nuebling@empirische-beratung.de.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nübling
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Zurich, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Cuminstrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: Naser.Morina@usz.ch.
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morina
authors.affiliation: Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Applied Linguistics, Theaterstrasse 15C, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland. Electronic address: gertrud.hofer-falk@uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Gertrud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.affiliation: Basel University Hospital, Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: wolf.langewitz@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Langewitz
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003144:Communication Barriers; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014175:Translating; D014177:Translations; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Healthcare provider-patient interaction; Interpreted consultations; Interpreter; RIAS; Utterances