Answer:
It is extremely important. There are various medical terms that doctors have learned plenty of times, but to a patient it may be the very first time they have ever heard of it.
In the healthcare industry I have seen through my own eyes how long it can take for a doctor to tend to a patient. Patients often spend 30+ minutes just to see a doctor to get a simple prescription. Such as a case for an asthma patient who simply wants to refill a prescription but needs doc authorization. Wait times are often too long, and doctors seem to rush through when there is high traffic.
Doctors will usually sympathize with patients by reflecting a certain mood. Happy for good news, sad and serious tone when there is a more serious problem.
If a doctor an simply not speak to a patient, it creates many problems. For one, they cannot relay any info to the patient. 2, a translator may not know the direct translation because they may not have as much knowledge as a doctor about medical terms that the doctor may have studied more in depth.
