Interpreter II - PD (Haitian Creole)

Tufts Medical Center, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Tufts Medicine seeks a Medical Interpreter to provide accurate interpretation for patients and families with Limited English Proficiency in a medical setting. You will translate spoken language and, when needed, written documents, ensuring clear cross-language communication.

As a culture broker, you will assist in family meetings, obtain consent signatures, inform patients about procedures, and support care coordination. Relevant certification and 1 year of interpreting experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Medical Interpreter Certification from an accredited program or equivalent competency exam.
• One year of interpreting experience.
• Bilingual in English and another language.

Responsibilities

• Interprets spoken language from English to target language and back for patients, physicians, and staff.
• Supports understanding by combining language and cultural interpretation.
• Participates in family meetings to assist with forms, financial aid, transfers, etc.
• Contacts non-English speaking patients to obtain consent, inform about appointments, and explain procedures.
• May accompany patients to operating rooms or departments as needed.
• Translates correspondence and documents from English into the target language.
• May take on-call requests for emergencies at night and on weekends.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with peers to achieve team goals.
• Adheres to policies and confidentiality, reporting concerns as needed.
• Complies with regulatory guidelines (DPH, ERISA) and internal policies.
• Demonstrates HIPAA/HITECH confidentiality.

Skills

Bilingual

Medical Terminology

Interpreting techniques

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Medical Interpreter Certification

1 year interpreting experience

Job description

Job Profile Summary

This role focuses on performing activities associated with evaluating, developing, recommending, implementing, and carrying out the policies and procedures related to the delivery of high-quality patient care. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Language Services duties: Listens to, understands, translates and provides support to those individuals with physical or mental impairments when it comes to language, such as speech therapy or speaking a foreign language. A professional individual contributor role that may direct the work of other lower level professionals or manage processes and programs. The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education. An experienced level role that applies practical knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience. Works independently with general supervision, problems faced are difficult but typically not complex, and may influence others within the job area through explanation of facts, policies and practices.

Job Overview

Under general supervision, this position provides accurate interpretation for patient/families who have Limited English Proficiency (LEP). This position interprets the spoken language and culture between two or more individuals from English to the target language and back into English again to ensure accurate cross-language communication in a medical environment. May be required to translate written documents from English into the target language or from the target language into English. Acts as culture broker to identify when cultural differences are leading to a misunderstanding on the part of either the provider or patient. Language services are performed in designated areas according to the policies, procedures, philosophy, and objectives of the department and hospital. Works cooperatively within department and other services to create a system of quality health care.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

1. High School diploma or equivalent
2. Medical Interpreter Certification from an accredited college or university OR Certification from a Medical Interpreter training course and successful completion of a third-party medical interpreter competency exam
3. One (1) year of relevant interpreting experience
4. Bilingual

Preferred Qualifications

1. National Certification for Medical Interpreters
2. Three (3) years of relevant experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Interprets the spoken language from English into the target language and from the target language into English for patients, physicians and staff.
2. Combines the ability to interpret both culture and language.
3. Participates in family meetings with social workers to assist in completing forms, obtaining financial aid for clients, transferring patients, etc.
4. Contacts non-English speaking patients to obtain consent signatures, give notification of appointments, and explain procedures, diagnosis, medical history, etc.
5. May accompany non-English speaking patients to operating room or other departments when presence is needed. May participate in patient/client care conferences.
6. Translates correspondence, brochures, documents and special diagnostic procedures from English into the target language.
7. May be required to take on-call requests to be available for emergencies at night and on weekends.
8. Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues in order to effectively contribute to the working groups achievement of goals, and to help foster a positive work environment
9. Adhere to applicable policies, procedures as they pertain to patient/clientcare and to applicable personnel qualifications.
10. Demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of what to report to the CEO or Chief Compliance Officer when concerns of corporate compliance arise.
11. Ensures compliance within guidelines set forth by regulatory agencies (DPH, ERISA etc.) and demonstrates compliance with Home Health Foundation policies and procedures.
12. Practices confidentiality principles set by the agency and federal HIPAA/HITECH guidelines.
13. Participates in all mandatory in-services

Physical Requirements

1. Prolonged, extensive, or regularly standing/walking.
2. Regularly lifts and/or move 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.
3. Frequently requires reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, and climbing stairs.
4. Frequent exposure to hazardous chemicals, sick patients, bodily substances, noise and possible exposure to radiation, lasers, electric shock, etc.
5. Regularly exposed to the risk of blood borne diseases and other transmissible infections.
6. Contact with patients under wide variety of circumstances.
7. Specific vision abilities apply including close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.
8. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Skills & Abilities

1. Ability to read/write and communicate in both languages.
2. Ability to provide effective and clear interpretation and communication.
3. Advanced knowledge in areas of interpreting techniques and medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures and treatments in both English and target language.
4. High degree of courtesy and tact required in regular contacts with patients and their families involving patient related information of a sensitive and or/confidential nature.
5. Excellent interpersonal skills.
6. Ability to function well in very busy situations.
7. Responsible and reliable.
8. Good organization skills.

About Tufts Medicine

At Tufts Medicine, we want every individual to feel valued for the skills and experience they bring. Our compensation philosophy is designed to offer fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals, while rewarding the important work you do every day. The base pay ranges reflect the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity to ensure compensation is fair, consistent, and aligned with our business goals. Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports your health, financial security, and career growth—one of the many ways we invest in you so you can thrive both at work and outside of it. Pay Range: $23.04 - $28.80 based on full-time equivalent.

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community health care to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, MelroseWakefield Healthcare, an expansive home care network and a large clinically integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated employees and caregivers. The health system came together in 2014 to leverage the experience of its member organizations and integrate their missions to together transform the ways that consumers engage with and experience their care.