Summary: 

Provide face-to-face interpreting, video conferencing and telephonic interpreting as needed for health care encounters for all of the Norwood Hospital sites and programs. Attend community events as needed as a liaison for Norwood Hospital. Assist limited English proficiency (LEP) patients to access a full range of services available while helping patients to navigate the health care system. Accurately document all interactions into the electronic medical records system.  Acts as a Cultural broker and informs providers and patients of relevant cultural issues to assist providers in delivering culturally competent patient care. Maintains and improves expertise through appropriate continuing education.  Must be willing and able to travel to various Steward Sites and/or patient locations as required throughout the work-day. 
 

Responsibilities:                                                                                                                            
Refers inquiries and suggestions for improving services and care to appropriate personnel according to established procedures. Must employ the utmost discretion, and possess the ability to maintain patients' and employees' confidentiality.  Promotes understanding and commitment to the Hospital's Mission and Values and assists in strengthening the level of patient satisfaction.
When not performing interpreting, assists in performing office support duties, which may include answering phone calls, retrieving messages from voice mail as well as doing follow-up calls to patients as needed.  Acts as the dispatcher for interpreter requests which includes receiving requests for interpreters and trusting requests to fill such requests.  Provides office assistance as needed.
Keeps accurate statistical data of encounters by documenting all interpreter encounters for the program's statistical purposes. As part of a team, offers linguistic knowledge for occasional translation and proofreading of translations as requested and if deemed capable of doing translations.

Qualifications:

Must be able to interpret in Portuguese and Spanish.  High school diploma or equivalent is required – undergraduate degree preferred.  National Certification preferred. Must demonstrate satisfactory fluency in English and target language(s) at a level that ensures accurate and understandable interpretation. Formal medical interpreting training and satisfactory knowledge of medical terminology is required.
One (1) year of work experience as a medical interpreter in a health care setting is strongly preferred.  Excellent organizational skills, the ability to set priorities, and problem solving skills are a must.  Travel to various Steward sites and/or patient locations is required throughout the work-day for all interpreter positions.