Job Details
About us:
Medical Interpreting Training Center (MIT Center) has been successfully providing high-quality interpreting and translation services worldwide. Hundreds of organizations across the country rely on LBS to help them communicate with a rising population of individuals with limited English proficiency (MIT Center) speakers.
We boast a substantial team of over 1000 skilled interpreters and translators, each bringing a wealth of experience and professional expertise to deliver top-tier language services in today's dynamic global business landscape. Our services encompass interpretation and translation across more than 100 languages for a diverse range of industries.
Job Summary
We are seeking an onsite medical interpreter to join our team, primarily serving in community and social services, with potential roles in medical settings. Under the supervision of the Assistant Manager of Onsite Interpreter Services, this position requires precise translation of both verbal and written communications between healthcare staff and limited English proficient (LEP) patients and their families. The interpreter ensures clear and mutual understanding in a professional, focused, and culturally sensitive manner. They are adept at handling multiple language service requests in dynamic environments and translating medical documents between English and Spanish. The role demands adherence to hospital policies, Service Standards, the Code of Conduct, the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Healthcare, and HIPAA regulations. Responsibilities also include documenting services in patient charts.
Onsite interpreters for:
Spanish
Arabic
Armenian
Cambodian/Khmer
Cantonese
Dari
Farsi
Filipino/Tagalog
Hindi
Hmong
Japanese
Korean
Lao/Laotian
Mandarin
Mien
Pashto
Portuguese
Punjabi
Russian
Ukrainian
Vietnamese
Urdu
Thai
Essential Functions
- Work closely with social workers, healthcare providers, and other community service members to ensure a coordinated approach to client care and service delivery.
- Help clients navigate and access available community and social services, explaining procedures and requirements in their primary language.
- Provide interpretation services during crisis situations, ensuring clear communication is maintained during emergency responses or critical service delivery.
- Strictly adhere to HIPAA and other relevant privacy laws to protect client confidentiality during and after service delivery.
- Keep detailed records of interactions and translations, ensuring all documentation is accurate and confidentiality is maintained according to organizational policies and legal requirements.
- Act as an advocate for non-English speaking clients to ensure their needs are met and their rights are upheld within the scope of the services provided.
- Assist service providers by offering cultural context and understanding, helping to bridge any cultural gaps that may affect the delivery of services or client comprehension.
- Translate written materials such as community service guidelines, informational brochures, and client documentation from English to other languages and vice versa.
- Provide accurate and immediate verbal interpretation between English and other required languages to facilitate clear communication between service providers and clients.
- Provide interpretation and translation services for a wide range of language skills, instructions, terminology, concepts, theories, and emotions to serve the communication needs of patients, families, and hospital staff. This includes adapting complex medical procedures, diagnoses, treatment options, and doctors' instructions into English and other required languages to ensure clear understanding.
- Conduct medical interpretations involving patient physical histories, symptoms of disorders, and assist in obtaining informed consent for treatment from patients or their legal guardians. Explain and interpret patient rights and responsibilities. Perform both simple and complex medical interpretations independently and under supervision in various settings, including admissions, care conferences, and psychological consultations, using consecutive and sight translation modalities.
- Assist hospital staff by interpreting or translating forms, documents, and medical procedures for patients, family members, and the general public. Independently translate, edit, and proofread After Visit Summaries and other important medical documents, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and timeliness in both simple and complex cases. This includes materials related to various medical specialties such as maternity, surgery, transplant, and oncology.
- Connect patients and families to hospital resources as needed and share observations with medical staff about potential patient needs to ensure quality care. Respond to emergency requests, confirm language preferences, and provide necessary interpretation for crisis interventions. Arrange for interpretation services in all required languages, including external agency coordination and sign language services.
- Performs general clerical duties including typing, filing, answering phones, and scheduling patients for appointments; provides hospital information to the general public, which may require the use of foreign language skills.
- May provide input to committees, task forces, or various groups/individuals regarding the communication needs of the indigenous population; may recommend materials, processes, and/or procedures to facilitate and improve communication with that population.
- The proper use of English and/or other required language grammar, syntax and vocabulary.
- The special communication and cultural needs of foreign language speaking individuals.
- The use of personal computers.
- Basic principles of mathematics.
- The general operations of an acute care hospital; principles of providing customer service in a health care environment.
- General clerical and office methods and procedures.
- Connects patients and families to hospital resources, as needed.
- Shares observations with medical staff, clinical social workers, patient experience staff, chaplains, and ancillary staff about potential patients needs to ensure quality patient care.
- Responds to Code emergency requests, confirms language preference, and provides interpretation for crisis interventions as necessary.
- May arrange interpretation for all languages for patients and families including: outside agencies, phone interpretation, spoken and sign language services, as needed.
Skills Required
- Fluent in English/foreign language(s) including medical terminology in both languages.
- Proficient knowledge of medical terminology and procedures commonly used in an acute care hospital setting is essential.
- High accuracy and completeness in consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation modes to effectively handle medical information.
- Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing, in English and the non-English working language. Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships, demonstrate flexibility, and provide customer-oriented service in stressful situations.
- Foreign language(s) written translation skills.
- Strong commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of records, sensitive information, and hospital policies as required by law.
- Ability to interact and connect with people over the telephone, often in stressful situations.
- Interpret/translate/ routine and complex words, thoughts and feelings using both English and other required languages.
- Hear spoken speech communication to interpret at an appropriate speed and level to efficiently and effectively convey the message.
- Adapt the interpretation process to the individual communication needs of others based on their fluency, language skills, and/or other communication barriers.
- Learn new terminology and vocabulary to improve interpretation skills and effectiveness.
- Serve as a liaison between the health care team, the physician and the patient.
- Maintain safe working conditions by complying with established safety policies and procedures.
- Competent in using computer technology, including Microsoft Office applications and other relevant software, necessary for managing medical records and communication.
- Prepare routine written communications; maintain records; read and understand job-related material.
- Maintain strict medical confidentiality of information as required by law and Hospital policy.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to provide sensitive and competent service to customers, particularly in a healthcare environment where clients may be anxious or in distress, emphasizing the importance of excellent client relationships and interpersonal skills.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others including physicians, nurses, administrators, managers, vendors, and other health care industry personnel.
- Ability to perform consecutive interpreting and sight translation.
- Knowledge of cultural, health literacy and perceptual factors that may affect patient treatment and communication.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure and apply sound judgment.
- Ability to work well with individuals at all levels of the organization.
- The proper use of English and/or other required language grammar, syntax and vocabulary.
- The special communication and cultural needs of foreign language speaking individuals.
- Community, social services and medical terminology and vocabulary, both in English and/or other required language, commonly used in an acute care hospital setting.
- General clerical and office methods and procedures.
Examples of Experience/Education/Training THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE will have a proven track record demonstrating the following:
Qualification:
- Previous experience in community, social services and healthcare.
- Qualified interpreter. No certification needed but preferred.
- Completion of a minimum of 40-hour Healthcare Interpreter training.
- 1+ years experience interpreting in a community, social services and healthcare setting, including experience working with the community and/or target language population with a diverse cultural/socio-economic backgrounds. Ability to interpret and translate medical terminology.
- 80% 90% Score for Interpreter Skills Assessment.
- The use of personal computers.
- Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) or National Board of Certification of Medical Interpreter.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: The selected candidate will be engaged as an independent contractor, not as an employee of Medical Interpreting Training Center but will engage in their duties on an independent contractor basis.This distinction entails that the contractor will be responsible for their own employment taxes, insurance, and other standard employee benefits.
- MIT Center will conduct a thorough background and reference check process which includes a Department of Justice fingerprint check.
- Independent contractors who drive on County business to carry out job related duties must possess a valid CA Driver License for the class vehicle driven.
- Independent contractors must have and show their original Social Security Card and a valid CA Driver License or CA State ID prior to the first day of work.
- Independent contractors will be free to accept or deny the schedule assignment which could include weekends and holidays.
- REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS AND SCREENING PROCESS
- Independent contractors must possess valid authorization to work in the United States.
Physical Requirements And Working Conditions
The Physical Requirements and Working Conditions in which the job is typically performed are available from the Occupational Health Department.
Range
Compensation is based on the level and requirements of the role.Salary within our ranges may also be determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, location, and abilities, as required by the role, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.Typically, new independent contractors join at the minimum to mid pay per assignment range. Minimum to Midpoint Range for this position is $22.00 to $35.00
QUALIFICATIONS ASSESSMENT: To further assess applicants' possession of required qualifications, this process may include an oral examination, pre-exam exercise, performance exam, or physical ability exam.
QUALIFICATIONS APPRAISAL:
All licenses/certificates will be verified via primary source. Completed application materials will be competitively evaluated. Please note: The initial screening for this position uses ONLY the applicant's answers to the evaluation, tests and questionnaire. Evaluators (who are Subject Matter Experts) are not given the application and/or resumes at this point in the process. Therefore, your answers to the evaluation, tests and questionnaire are crucial. The best-qualified applicants will be invited to participate further in the process.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: MIT Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity Affirmative Action employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Thank you and we look forward to working with you.