Interpreter II

Responsibilities

• Receives and processes requests for interpretation services and coordinates appropriate coverage.
• Provides interpretation services face to face or via telephonic conference calls for individual patient interactions in a variety of patient care settings.
• Answers, screens, and prioritizes incoming requests; assists caller or directs caller to appropriate person or department.
• Maintains confidentiality of information at all times.
• Provides courteous, proper and prompt information and assistance to all appropriate hospital departments and outside agencies.
• Responds to customer requests with a high level of professionalism on the telephone or pager.
• Ensures proper communication and timely information to the provider on the interpreter’s status or estimated wait time.
• Makes rounds (department specific visits to patients) to identify patients’ needs.
• Monitors the status of interpreting encounters.
• Verifies locations, department extension, medical providers name and nature of the request to help prioritize the call.
• Explains medical procedures to patients and obtains necessary medical information needed to perform exams/procedures.
• Provides bilingual assistance via telephone for any patient or customer upon request, for example, calls directed to the department by PBX, Patient Dining and/or Service Center, etc.
• Listens to patient/family concerns and refers them appropriately.
• Responds, identifies, mediates, and resolves potential and actual conflicts between patient/family members and the hospital.
• Conveys empathy for the situation and confidence to the patient.
• Resolves problems by easing patient’s stress without jeopardizing the medical and hospital staff relationship.
• Tracks and documents the time spent interpreting, as well as recording other pertinent information in EPIC and/or department database.
• Maintains proficiency of interpretation standards through on-going educational programs, workshops, training, etc.
• Keeps abreast of changes, improvements, advances in the medical field, procedures, medications and its equivalent terminology in the target language.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED - Required
• Must pass oral and written examination. ASL (American Sign Language) candidates will be tested in person or via video.
• 1 year medical interpretation experience in a hospital or acute care setting. - Preferred
• Medical Interpreter Certification from an accredited institution, or equivalent 60-hour interpreter training program - Required
• ASL - RID or BEI certification - Preferred