A comparison of the use of interpreters in New Zealand and the US.

Cultural competency in medicine is not possible unless language differences are addressed effectively. Many disparities that appear to be based on cultural, socioeconomic, demographic and other differences can be reduced or eliminated with the use of qualified medical interpretation and translation in multilingual situations. The development of this precious resource varies from country to country around the world as most developed countries face increasingly diverse groups of immigrants and refugees as well as inclusion of more indigenous groups of patients. The US has been one of the leaders in this area since the 1980s. Countries like New Zealand are in different stages of development and on different pathways. Increased international collaboration may facilitate evolution of cost-effective inclusion of professional medical interpreters as part of multidisciplinary health care teams.