Interpreter

Steward Health Care System, we are committed to improving the health of our communities by delivering exceptional, personalized behavioral health care with dignity, compassion and respect. Our continued focus on the patient experience informs our caregivers in how to provide care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient and family preferences, needs and values.

We dedicate ourselves in the communities we serve to delivering affordable health care to all and being responsible partners. No matter what your role, as a member of the Steward family, you are a specialist in the making every patient and family feel right at home, every co-worker a key to our success, and every referring practice, a team of prized colleagues.

In support of this, we commit ourselves to the following values:

Compassion

Accountability

Respect

Excellence

Stewardship

If you are seeking a fast-paced, challenging position in an organization committed to achieving and maintaining a standard of excellence in all we do, our organization may be a good fit for you.

The Interpreter acts as a liaison between ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse patients and their families and the staff of Carney Hospital. The primary role of the interpreter is to facilitate the successful delivery of services to linguistically diverse patients and their families. The delivery of these services requires collaboration with physicians, nurses and other members of the health care team to assure that the needs of the patient are met.

The position requires that the interpreter assist with written translations as required in patient encounters, such as the completion of forms and medical instructions. The interpreter also assists with administrative translations, such as letters to patients, educational materials, flyers, etc. as well as editing and proof-reading translations.

The interpreter assists with the following office operations: answering phones, taking interpreter requests, assisting with the scheduling of patient appointments, documenting encounters as appropriate for the service area, maintaining monthly statistics, filing and photocopying as needed.

Assists the department director with on-the-job training and mentoring for interpreter internships.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides health care interpretation for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients, their families and significant others.
• At request of physician or the health care worker, and with the patient's permission, personally provides interpretation during examinations, tests, and treatments, in obtaining informed consent and in providing patient teaching, without unnecessary delay and in an effective and courteous manner.
• Assists health care workers in telephone contact with family members and follow-up contact with patients after treatment.
• Writes clear and precise patient instruction in the patient's language under the direction of the health care worker.
• Participates in health care program development related to the cultural and ethnic needs in the Carney Hospital service area.
• Accurately translates written health care information and brochures at the request of the Director within a designated time frame.
• On a regular basis recommends additional patient information and material for translation and other modification, which would facilitate use of Carney Hospital and its affiliates by the community.
• Collaborates with health care providers and others as directed by the Director in order to develop and promote health care programs for non-English speaking community resident, in the required language
• Provides education to health care workers about cultural beliefs and customs that may impact Carney's ability to provide quality patient care and employment to the multi cultural community.
• On a case by case basis, verifies and interprets cultural beliefs and customs of the patient and family to the health care worker, assisting in identification of treatment options acceptable to the patient.
• Collaborates with the Director in educational programs, in-services and written articles that provide formal education to health care workers regarding the cultural beliefs and customs of Limited English speaking residents of the community
• Collaborates with Director to educate the hospital community about specific culture in order to improve understanding and compliance with prescribed treatments. Etc.
• Acts as a liaison between the Limited English speaking community, Carney Hospital, and the network of health care providers and social work agencies within the Carney service area in order to promote quality health care services to residents.
• Maintains current knowledge of the community's health care issues and concerns and accurately and promptly reports such to the Director.
• Works with Social Workers within the Carney Hospital network to identify and provide follow-up to patients with social and emotional issues.
• In the course of providing personal interpretation services, informs patients and their significant other of social work availability and facilitates referral with the patient's permission and under the direction of the Director.
• Maintains current knowledge of signs of abuse and neglect, and follows proper procedures for reporting and follow-up of such cases as directed by the Director.
• Maintains current knowledge of social service and legal aide programs in the community in order to provide patients and health care workers with appropriate referral information.
• Collaborates with hospital social work staff on projects that support the hospitals mission of service to the poor.
• Support departmental operations, as required by Director.
• Respond to telephone and faxed requests for interpreter services
• Maintains own schedule of patient appointments.
• Documents encounter as appropriate to the particular service area, either electronically or by sticker.
• Maintains monthly statistics
• Assists with other departmental functions, such as filing and photocopying, as requested by Director

Required Skills

• Fluency in English and one or more foreign languages, both oral and written;
• Knowledge of cultural backgrounds of patients to be served; excellent interpersonal, organizational and time-management skills; high level of customer service and a positive approach.

Education: High School Diploma or GED Required; Bachelors Degree Preferred. Proof of Medical Interpreter Training preferred.

Experience: 3-5 years as an interpreter in a health care setting preferred

Certification/Licensure: None.

Software/Hardware: Basic computer knowledge