Bilingual Language Assistance Coordinator - Patient Experience Department

Montefiore Nyack Hospital•Village of Nyack, NY

About The Position

The Bilingual Language Assistance Coordinator oversees, implements, and continually improves the hospital’s Language Assistance Program to ensure equitable communication access for patients and families with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, and others requiring language support. The Coordinator is the subject matter expert on language access services and supports compliance with federal, state, and accreditation requirements while promoting culturally and linguistically appropriate care. The role manages interpretation resources and technology, educates staff, monitors service utilization and performance, and works to improve the patient experience for LEP populations. It also develops and maintains the Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS) Program. The position works with patients, family members, staff, multidisciplinary teams, operational and clinical leaders, vendors, and technology partners. It is based in a patient care area with potential exposure to infection and involves some lifting, pulling, and standing.

Requirements

Fluent bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, including verbal and written communication skills.
Knowledge of healthcare language access regulations and compliance requirements.
Understanding of interpreter ethics, standards of practice, and language access best practices.
Strong presentation, training, and facilitation skills.
Experience with interpreter service technologies, including video and telephone interpretation platforms.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building abilities.
Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and leadership.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to demonstrate concentration, organizational skills, customer sensitivity, and critical thinking.
Manual dexterity.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field preferred.
A minimum of three years of healthcare experience preferred.
Prior experience coordinating or overseeing a Language Assistance Program preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and oversee all aspects of the hospital’s Language Assistance Program.
Ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, Joint Commission standards, and applicable state language access requirements.
Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures for interpreter services and language access.
Monitor interpreter utilization, response times, vendor performance, and service quality.
Collaborate with operational, clinical, and administrative leaders to improve language access across the organization.
Develop and deliver staff education on interpreter services, regulatory requirements, communication with LEP patients, cultural competency, and patient-centered communication.
Facilitate orientation and ongoing language access training, and create educational resources and job aids.
Design, implement, and maintain a Qualified Bilingual Staff Program, including proficiency standards, assessment and certification workflows, competency testing, and records of qualified employees.
Educate leaders and staff about when to use qualified bilingual staff versus professional interpreters.
Work with the Director of Patient Experience to analyze feedback and patient experience data from LEP populations and identify improvement opportunities.
Monitor language access performance indicators, patient satisfaction, complaints, grievances, and access barriers.
Oversee interpreter equipment and technology, including video remote interpretation, telephone interpretation systems, tablets, and other communication tools.
Coordinate equipment inventory, maintenance, replacement, and deployment; liaise with interpreter service vendors and technology partners.
Track utilization data and recommend improvements to service efficiency and access.
Develop reports and dashboards, monitor program metrics and trends, support accreditation surveys, audits, and regulatory reviews, and prepare leadership presentations and recommendations.
Demonstrate the hospital’s service standards, communicate effectively and respectfully, respond empathetically, and support customer-service and performance-improvement efforts.
Collaborate with employees to control costs and pursue additional revenue opportunities, and complete projects and assignments within expected time frames.