Calling an Ambulance: The Hidden Challenges of Language Barriers

In emergency situations, calling an ambulance is crucial. The person who answers the call, known as a call-taker, needs to quickly understand the problem so they can send help fast. Language barriers can make this tougher, especially when callers don't speak fluent English. A study in Australia found that when this happens, there can be delays in recognizing a heart attack, one of the most serious medical emergencies. The study looked at 33 calls where there was a language barrier. They found that call-takers often didn't see the signs of a heart attack, even when the caller gave important clues. Sometimes these clues were given in unexpected ways or weren't asked for. The call-takers also didn't always follow up on these clues or give the caller enough time to speak. Delayed recognition of a heart attack was mainly due to a lack of understanding between the caller and the call-taker. Both sides often didn't realize there was a problem. The study suggests that emergency services should find better ways to handle these calls, to help everyone get faster and fairer care.