# Doctors Use AI Translation Tools Risking Patient Safety > Doctors use AI translation tools for patient communication but risk serious errors in critical medical instructions. - Title: Doctors Use AI Translation Tools Risking Patient Safety - Summary: Doctors use AI translation tools for patient communication but risk serious errors in critical medical instructions. AI translation tools for medical… - Keywords: ai translation, medical instructions, patient safety, language barriers, healthcare, english proficiency, discharge instructions, myeloma treatment, bengali translation, human translation, ai errors, medical errors - Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/technology/2026/10/ai-translation-apps-doctors-medicine.html?via=rss - Author: Alison J. Stein - Published: 2026-10-16T09:45:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: ai translation, medical instructions, patient safety, language barriers, healthcare, english proficiency, discharge instructions, myeloma treatment, bengali translation, human translation, ai errors, medical errors ## Stephen Hibbs' Albanian Patient Death Stephen Hibbs, a blood-cancer specialist, believed AI could have saved his patient after a young Albanian man died following a bone marrow transplant in East London. > He was discharged with a complex postsurgery medication regimen to keep his immune system in check and prevent infection, one that had to be followed perfectly. ## Language Barriers in Healthcare Patients and doctors struggle to communicate about symptoms, treatment options, and risks when language differences exist, increasing medical error risks. > Even when everyone speaks the same language, patients and doctors struggle to communicate about symptoms, treatment options, and risks. ## AI Translation Tools in Healthcare Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and translation apps such as Google Translate promise to bridge language gaps but introduce new risks in medical settings. > With the rise of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and translation apps like Google Translate, healthcare providers have what seems like a cheap and easy way to bridge the gap in their lab coat pockets. ## Limited English Proficiency in U.S. 27 million Americans have low English proficiency, yet the U.S. translation and interpretation profession numbers just under 74,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. > Some 27 million Americans have low English proficiency, yet the entire U.S. translation and interpretation profession numbers just under 74,000, including plenty of people who work in non-healthcare specialties. ## Trump's English Only Policy President Donald Trump's 2025 executive order to make English the U.S. official language worsened language access issues for healthcare providers. > When President Donald Trump proclaimed English the U.S.’s official language in 2025, these issues worsened. ## LEP.gov Website Closure The LEP.gov website, which provided resources for people with limited English proficiency, has been a husk for over a year with only links to Trump's executive order and a memo. > The single page that remains has a link to Trump’s 'English Only' executive order. ## AI Translation in Emergency Care A Denver emergency room patient with limited English returned after a heart attack due to confusing Spanish translation of discharge instructions. > A patient arrived at a Denver emergency room one night terrified that he was having a heart attack. ## Doctor's Use of AI Translation Doctors use AI translation tools like Google Translate to quickly translate patient instructions, despite risks of errors. > Whenever his patients spoke a language he didn’t speak, 'I did what everybody else would do: copy, paste, throw it onto Google Translate and hope that it was somewhat accurate.' ## AI Translation Errors in Medicine AI translation tools make critical errors in medical instructions, such as mistranslating 'hold' to mean 'adhere to medication' instead of pausing. > A mistranslation of that 'hold' instruction as 'adhere to your medication' dangerously reverses the meaning. ## Study on AI Translation Accuracy A study comparing AI and human translations of myeloma treatment instructions found AI scored 51 out of 100 while human translations scored 73. > Out of a possible 100 points on a scale used by the Chartered Institute of Linguists, the human version scored a 73, losing points mainly on points of language and clarity. ## AI Translation Risks in Practice AI translation tools cause misunderstandings in medical instructions, leading to patient harm, as seen in a 2025 study of pediatric ER scenarios. > In a 2025 study of pediatric emergency room scenarios in the journal BMC Health Services Research, a model mistranslated a verb from Urdu, so a description of a child’s liquid intake read like the child had consumed alcohol. ## Cultural Differences in AI Responses AI models respond differently to prompts in English versus Chinese, emphasizing individualism versus relationships in their responses. > In English, the models tended to favor more individualistic and analytical responses, while in Chinese, they placed greater emphasis on relationships and broader context. ## Stephen Hibbs' Study on AI Translation Stephen Hibbs and Federico M. Federici found AI translations of myeloma treatment instructions had significant errors that could harm patients. > For the version translated by A.I., a research team member who did not speak Bengali put it through Google Translate. ## Human Review Essential for Safety Human review is necessary to ensure accurate medical translations, as AI tools alone can cause dangerous misunderstandings. > Without human review, 'I would not use an A.I. tool, even if there was no other alternative.' ## Consequence of AI Translation Use Using AI translation tools without human review risks patient harm, as seen in the Albanian patient's death and other medical errors. > In almost every case, it’d be better to avoid the surgery than to expose the patient to the risk of a botched operation. ## Key takeaway AI translation tools for medical instructions cause misunderstandings that can lead to patient harm, as shown by a study comparing machine and human translations.