The Wrap by Michigan Medicine Headlines · Michigan Medicine Podcast Network

The Wrap - Meet medical interpreter James Cech

·23 min·1 clip

James says he sees a patient's health literacy increase in real time.

1. The Wrap by Michigan Medicine Headlines features James Cech, a medical American sign language interpreter at Michigan Medicine, and the episode centers on his work and outside performing life. 2. Hosts Dan Ellman and Lillia Simic introduce James as a colleague who interprets for patients and also performs theater and music. 3. The episode asks what a medical interpreter does across Michigan Medicine and how that work connects to theater, music, and community performance. 4. James says he facilitates communication between patients and providers, and he frames informed consent as the key reason the role matters. 5. He notes that Michigan Medicine also has Dr. Michael McKee at Dexter Health Center, a deaf doctor who provides direct care to deaf patients. 6. James describes a day that can include open-heart surgery at 7 a.m., a kidney transplant on the 12th floor, a video visit, and appointments at Domino's, Briarwood, Brighton, Canton, Northville, and Saline. 7. He says emergency work is covered by a 24-7 pager for sign language and that iPads are deployed for remote triage before sending an interpreter in person. 8. James adds that Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese interpreters are also frequently present in the hospital, and that the Spanish team also covers a 24-7 pager. 9. He says the hardest part is trying to be in more than one place at the same time because the team has four full-time staff interpreters and 20 contractors or vendors. 10. He explains that challenging medical terminology and emotional conversations require extensive training and team support. 11. James calls the most rewarding part seeing a patient's health literacy increase in real time. 12. He tells a story about a patient who had a procedure at another hospital without interpreters and later returned to Michigan Medicine not knowing what had happened or why a pacemaker was implanted. 13. He says the team of 25 sign language interpreters may surprise people because there are almost 500 sign-language users in the MyChart system. 14. James says he has worked at the hospital for about 10 years as a full-time staff interpreter, after earlier years as a contractor. 15. He describes seeing children grow from age 10 to age 20 and following patients with comorbidities every other week, which makes continuity of care possible. 16. He traces his theater connection back to middle school, a friendship with a deaf student, and a high school production of Sweet Nothing in My Ear. 17. James says he became a performing member and later owner of Stagehands, which provides interpreters for concerts in Detroit and for theatrical performances with groups like Eastern Michigan University and Western Michigan University. 18. He says the company uses both platform interpreting and shadow interpreters on stage in costume, and he also mentions a recent role as Dewey Finn in School of Rock. 19. The episode keeps a conversational, interview-driven tone, with practical detail, quick detours into performance work, and a lightning round at the end. 20. People who care about medical interpreting, accessibility, or theater should listen; people wanting a tightly focused medical episode may skip it.

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