June 7, 2023
When Ryan Reynolds, star of the popular Deadpool movies and perennial rom-com leading man, agreed to have his first colonoscopy filmed for public release...
This website uses cookies. to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking “Accept & Close”, you consent to our use of cookies. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.
By: Bea Prashad
Published: 9/4/2008
Providing an interpreter for non-English speaking patients isn't just about doing the right thing — it's required by law. Here's how to ensure these patients are served by skilled interpreters throughout their stay and receive the same level of care as patients speaking our native tongue.
We now have the interpreter who established a rapport with the patient during surgery make follow-up phone calls. The interpreters contact patients, confer with our perioperative nursing staff as needed, complete post-op evaluation forms and fax the forms to our nurse manager. It's a process that works well and provides all of our patients the quality care they deserve.
How to Hire an Interpreter |
Most freestanding facilities don't have the luxury of working with in-house interpreters. Here are four questions to answer when looking for the right freelance interpreter. 1. Are they experienced? Make sure interpreters have at least one year's experience in medical interpretation. Many interpreters learn their trade in the banking industry or court systems. Working in the medical industry, however, presents a whole host of unique skill sets for interpreters, beginning with mastering complicated medical terminology. 2. Can they pass the test? Interpreters should pass a qualifying medical vocabulary exam before working in your facility. A national certification for medical interpreters doesn't yet exist, although the International Medical Interpreters Association (www.imiaweb.org) is putting the finishing touches on a certification that is expected to be finished within the next couple of years. We use our own test, including key terms specific to different departments within our hospital system. Numerous companies offer medical interpreter testing for smaller facilities without the expertise or staffing to develop their own exams. 3. Do they know their role? Interview potential interpreters much as you would candidates for your full-time staff. Being fluent in English and a second language is only part of what makes a skilled interpreter. They must also understand how to control patient encounters and their role in the interactions. For example, the patient needs to be the focus of each conversation and interpreters must know they should never be left alone with patients because of legal and ethical concerns. 4. Are they necessary? Using a language line is a nice option if you'd like to test the interpretation waters. Patients and staff or surgeons communicate with an interpreter through a telephone line, either by passing the phone's headset back and forth or speaking through its speaker. While not ideal, language lines are better than the alternatives: using family members as interpreters or foregoing interpretation services altogether. — Kinneil Coltman Ms. Coltman ([email protected]) is director of diversity and language services at Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center in Greenville, S.C. |
When Ryan Reynolds, star of the popular Deadpool movies and perennial rom-com leading man, agreed to have his first colonoscopy filmed for public release...
Once you’ve finetuned your team’s workflow, it’s easy to stick with it and not change anything. But sometimes it’s smart to put on new lenses...
The number of wrong surgeries reported to The Joint Commission continued to decline in 2022, with 85 events disclosed to the accrediting body....