Medical Interpreter -Spanish

Major Responsibilities

• Provides continuous interpreting services for hospital patients, family members, companions, staff, physicians, and visitors throughout the entire patient experience, including registration, admission, medical treatment/procedures, informed consent, and discharge. May also be required to provide simultaneous interpretation.
• Interprets forms, non‑technical instructions, patient information, and other patient‑related information.
• Accurately logs interpretation requests to track productivity and identify key utilization trends.
• Assists staff in assessing the most appropriate mode of language services for patients, families, companions, and visitors.
• Refers requests for interpreting services that cannot be handled by staff medical interpreters to telephonic, video‑remote, or agency modalities and assists in arranging these services.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient information and respects the patient’s right to privacy.
• Demonstrates teaching strategies with patients, families, and companions to ensure language is not a barrier to understanding patient‑related information and take‑home materials.
• Follows the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care Standards of Practice, including accuracy of content, non‑judgmental attitude, acceptance of assignments, and professionalism.
• Interacts with internal customers and acts as a liaison to patients/families using appropriate communication techniques.
• Provides emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, family members, and companions.
• Coordinates scheduling of interpreting requests, including resources for document translation, scheduling of employed medical, telephonic, video‑remote, and agency interpreters, and serves as a resource to care providers, patients, families, and companions.
• Actively enhances site patient experience initiatives by triaging language‑service complaints, completing Patient Safety Event Forms, identifying trends and key issues, and participating in leadership rounds.
• Responsible for ongoing education and development of staff and associates, including participation in educational offerings, educating associates on the necessity of interpreting, advising staff on cultural issues, and ensuring appropriate signage is posted at key locations.

• Associate’s degree in allied health or a related field, or a minimum of one year of equivalent experience as an interpreter, preferably in healthcare.

• Ability to read, write, fluently speak, and interpret a foreign language.
• Ability to cooperate and work well with internal and external customers.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Certificate of Achievement indicating completion of a medical interpreting class such as Bridging the Gap (BTG) required.
• Medical Interpreter Certification preferred.
• Illinois licensure required for American Sign Language Interpreter.

• Ability to stand and/or walk for up to 80% of shift.
• Ability to work under stressful conditions and highly emotional, difficult situations.
• Ability to work rotating shifts any day of the week, including weekends, nights, and holidays.
• Ability to handle multiple, complex tasks in a timely manner.
• Resiliency and flexibility to work in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to travel to offsite locations.
• Must present a clean, well‑groomed, professional appearance at all times.
• Must be able to push/wheel video‑remote interpreting computer/iPad carts.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.