Medical Interpreter

Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center, Inc.; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 36,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center, Inc. is seeking a dedicated Medical Interpreter to support LEP patients by translating medical information and guiding families through care processes.

You will travel to clinical sites, assess understanding, and serve as a cultural liaison to staff and patients. The role requires bilingual English/Spanish proficiency, strong interpretation skills, and the ability to work across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• One year of medical interpreting or related work experience.
• Strong interpretation and translation skills in the target language.
• Certification for Medical/Healthcare Interpreters preferred.
• Experience providing quality customer service preferred; must be able to work with a diverse clientele.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with computers and other office equipment (e.g., copiers, scanners).
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required; may be required to take a bilingual test.
• Valid SC driver's license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Performs medical interpretation and translation for patients and their families, including in group settings such as family conferences.
• Makes notations in the patient's chart indicating the origin of the request for interpretation or translation, the nature of the service provided, and an assessment of the patient's understanding.
• Translates correspondence, medical histories, medical consent forms, medical procedures and instructions, legal documents, manuals, brochures, and other pertinent documents as necessary.
• Assesses the patient's and family's comprehension of informed consent as needed and advises physicians and patient care staff of any need for clarification.
• Ensures access to community resources for non-English speaking patients and their families.
• Participates in monthly medical interpreter meetings.
• Fills in as needed at any Cooperative Health location for interpretive services.
• Works with management to ensure ADA and national interpreter standards are met and complied with.
• Handles protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with HIPAA.
• Maintains up-to-date data sheets.
• Completes bi-annual medical terminology testing.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Medical interpretation

Written and verbal communication

Customer service

Office communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Office equipment

Computers

Job description

Company overviewEau Claire Cooperative Health Center, Inc. (dba Cooperative Health) is a leading community health center serving the Midlands of South Carolina. It is deeply rooted in its mission of providing accessible, high quality, compassion health care in the spirit of the Good Samaritan. The organization’s values of: treating each other with respect, putting people first, being excellent at what we do, promoting a collaborative work environment, improving community/population health, fostering innovative thinkers, and getting results, are core attributes of every employee at Cooperative Health.Job summaryCooperative Health is seeking an enthusiastic, mission driven individual to fill the position of Medical Interpreter. Under the direction of the Director of Clinical Operations, the Medical Interpreter provides services for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients by breaking down the language barrier, providing accurate medical interpretation of critical medical information between Cooperative Health staff and patients. The Medical Interpreter travels among all clinical sites as needed to provide English and target language interpretation, acts as a cultural consultant to staff and as an advocate for non-English speaking patients and families, and assesses and monitors patients' understanding of the information conveyed, keeping physicians and staff informed of that level of understanding.Essential job functionsPerforms medical interpretation and translation for patients and their families, including in group settings such as family conferences.Makes notations in the patient's chart indicating the origin of the request for interpretation or translation, the nature of the service provided (such as interpreting treatment orders or pharmacy instructions), and an assessment of the patient's understanding and level of acceptance of the information.Translates correspondence, medical histories, medical consent forms, medical procedures and instructions, legal documents, manuals, brochures, and other pertinent documents as necessary.Assesses the patient's and family's comprehension of informed consent as needed and advises physicians and patient care staff of any need for clarification.Ensures access to community resources for non-English speaking patients and their families.Participates in monthly medical interpreter meetings.Fills in as needed at any Cooperative Health location for interpretive services.Works with management to ensure ADA and national interpreter standards are met and complied with.Handles protected health information (PHI) in a manner consistent with HIPAA.Maintains up-to-date data sheets.Works well with all individuals at all levels of the organization.Completes bi-annual medical terminology testing.Performs other duties as assigned.CompetenciesAbility to embody the mission and vision of Cooperative Health.Excellent written and verbal communication and problem solving skills.Ability to communicate with people from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.Ability to prioritize, organize and carry out work assignments independently and efficiently.Ability to maintain appropriate degree of confidentiality.Physical demandsProlonged periods sitting or standing.Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds.Be able to sit, stand, stoop, squat for extended periods of time throughout the day.Standing or walking for extended periods throughout the day.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.Company conformance statementIn the performance of respective job assignments, all employees are required to conform with Cooperative Health’s:Board approved policies and procedures;Confidentiality and professional provisions;Compliance program; andStandards of conduct.Supervisory responsibilityNoDisclaimerThis job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed in this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Cooperative Health reserves the right to modify this job description at any time. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment, and employment with Cooperative Health remains at-will.QualificationsHigh school diploma or equivalent.One (1) year of medical interpreting or related work experience.Strong interpretation and translation skills in the target language.Certification for Medical/Healthcare Interpreters preferred.Experience providing quality customer service preferred; must be able to work with a diverse clientele.Good written and verbal communication skills.Experience working with computers and other office equipment (e.g., copiers, scanners).Bilingual (English/Spanish) required; may be required to take a bilingual test.Valid SC driver's license and reliable transportation.