Certified Medical Interpreter - The Longstreet Clinic - Pediatrics - Gainesville Must be Certified

Northeast Georgia Medical Center•Gainesville, GA

About The Position

The Medical Interpreter provides interpretation and translation services for non-English-speaking patients and families throughout the facility. The role informs departmental leadership about cultural influences affecting patient care and compliance, and serves as an accessible patient and family advocate and liaison between patients and the organization. The interpreter provides information, general assistance, and referrals, helps ease fears and anxieties during inpatient and outpatient services, and responds to customer satisfaction concerns. The position requires fluent oral and written communication in English and Spanish, cultural effectiveness, discretion with confidential information, and the ability to prioritize and complete high-quality work with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, stressful environment. The employee must obtain an NGHS-approved 40-hour Medical Interpretation Certificate within four months of hire. Duties may also include assisting rehabilitation therapists and supporting patient-care and customer-care activities as assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
One year of customer-service-related experience.
Bilingual in English and Spanish, with fluent oral and written communication skills.
Obtain an NGHS-approved 40-hour Medical Interpretation Certificate within four months of hire.
Ability to communicate effectively with patients and families, healthcare staff, and external service providers.
Ability to handle complex, time-sensitive, and confidential information with discretion; prioritize tasks and deliver high-quality work with minimal supervision under tight deadlines.
Proficiency with computers and computer software.
Ability to work effectively across cultures.
Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced, stressful setting with a culturally and socially diverse patient population.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of medical terminology.

Responsibilities

Provide complete and accurate interpretation and translation without altering, omitting, or adding to the meaning of spoken or written communication; remain neutral and separate personal beliefs from those of others.
Assist with interpretation of unit forms, consent-related communications, and obtaining patient signatures.
Coordinate with staff and physicians for scheduled appointments involving Spanish-speaking patients.
When needed, assist with quality control of documents translated from English into Spanish.
Support a customer-service-oriented patient experience and identify opportunities to improve service and patient management for the Health System’s diverse cultural population.
Address culturally based miscommunication by sharing relevant cultural information with patients and providers.
Maintain confidentiality, respect patient privacy, and comply with HIPAA requirements.
Maintain a calm, helpful, respectful, team-oriented manner and present a caring, courteous, and attentive public image.
As needed, assist rehabilitation therapists; support patient safety and modesty through appropriate draping, and inform therapists or assistants of notable patient responses.
Assist team members and perform data entry, retrieval, computer activities, and required transaction documentation accurately.
As needed, visit new inpatients within 12 hours of admission, encourage patients to contact a representative with concerns, and maintain accurate daily logs of visits.
Provide information, general assistance, complaint resolution, and referrals; answer questions about hospital policies and procedures and refer patients or families to appropriate departments.
Respond attentively to patient needs and escalate unresolved high-risk incidents to the Manager.
Participate in staff training and orientation, maintain competency, keep knowledge current as services and duties change, and orient and educate new employees.
Work with Security to inventory patient valuables from admission through discharge.
Attend and complete required mandatory education courses.
Perform other duties as assigned.