PS1013 SARASOTA MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CORPORATE POLICY TITLE: INTERPRETER SERVICES HEARING IMPAIRED/FOREIGN LANGUAGE EFFECTIVE DATE: REVIEWED/REVISED DATE: POLICY TYPE: Job Title of Responsible Owner: Associate Chief Nursing Officer 7/19/90 06/28/18 Clinical 1 of 6 Non-Clinical PURPOSE: POLICY STATEMENT: To provide patients and/or their families with an effective means of communication for the purpose of providing health care and to ensure compliance with patient rights and federal regulations re: persons with disabilities. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS) will ensure the provision of a qualified signer or interpreter/translator for effective communication with hearing impaired and/or foreign language speaking persons. (See definitions for qualified interpreter.) Every effort should be made to utilize a qualified interpreter, particularly when obtaining or relaying medical information and consents. SMHCS also recognizes that patients who are limited- English proficient or who are hearing impaired and sign as their primary form of communication, may decline the use of translation/ interpreter service and elect to utilize friends, family members, or health care providers to communicate with health care providers. This is important to ensure that patients who are limited-english proficient or who are hearing impaired have the benefit of obtaining and relaying all pertinent information through a person trained in translation services and without the potential bias or undue influence of a family member, friend, or health care provider. EXCEPTIONS: DEFINITIONS: In rare circumstances when waiting for a qualified interpreter may cause a delay in patient care, a clinical person in charge may approve on a limited, temporary basis, the use of an employee, family member, physician, etc. who can communicate in sign language or the language required. The name of the person interpreting is to be entered into the patient s medical record. Efforts to obtain a qualified signer or interpreter should continue and documented in the patient s medical record. Qualified Interpreter for the Hearing Impaired: An interpreter certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Qualified Interpreter for the Non-English/Foreign Language Speaking
2 of 5 Person: An interpreter certified by an approved contracted vendor and who has been certified in Language Proficiency and Interpreter Skills for the required language requested by a certified agency. Hearing Impaired Person: Any person whose hearing is so impaired as to prohibit the person from understanding oral communications when spoken in a normal, conversational tone. Non-English/Foreign Language Speaking Person: Any person who is limited-english proficient or not fluent in the English language that may prohibit the person from understanding English. PROCEDURE: 1. Health care workers are to assess for any communication/ language barriers with a patient or family member, and determine if an independent interpreter/translator is needed to assist with communication. 2. Inform the patient/family member of the right to a qualified interpreter without charge and the right to a different interpreter if the patient cannot communicate with the one provided. Document in patient s medical record the status of the communication barrier and actions taken to provide for effective communications. For the Hearing Impaired: a. Specifically ask the patient/family member if they want an interpreter provided. If the patient or patient s designee does not wish to obtain the services of a certified signer, the preferred method of communication should be established (written notes, use of charts, pictures, TDD machine obtained through the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center, family or friend of patient, etc.) and documented in the patient s medical record. SMHCS subscribed to the following services: 1. Stratus Video Interpretive Services (preferred method) which provides professional qualified sign language interpreters: a. Obtain a Stratus machine. Locations are designated by department locations. Any technical issues with the device should be directed to the Call Center at x 6107. b. Locate Stratus Video Icon on the home screen and select the appropriate language. Upon connection, an interpreter appears on the screen. c. Position the device so that the patient and the interpreter can view each other. d. Document the interpreter s identification number in the patient s medical record. 2. VISCOM (registered interpreter service, secondary method).
3 of 5 VISCOM is a methodology used for the hearing impaired. Please call 941-363-1318 or mobile 941-726-1008. Leave a voice mail for a prompt return call. Hearing-impaired services are available 24 hours per day and are covered entities under HIPAA. 3. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center may be used in certain circumstances where the patient or patient s family member prefers an in person sign language interpreter. Call 239-461- 0334 to request a sign language interpreter or fill out the Sign Language Interpreter Request Form on website https://www.dhhc.life/ For the Non-English/Foreign Language Speaking Person: Specifically ask the patient/family member if they want an interpreter provided. Every effort should be made to utilize an independent (to avoid family bias) qualified interpreter/translator at all times. If the patient or patient s designee does not wish to utilize the services of a qualified Interpreter, it should be documented in the patient s medical record that the patient has declined a qualified interpreter. SMHCS subscribes to the following services: 1. Stratus Video Interpretive Services (preferred method) which provides professional qualified interpreter services in numerous languages via audio and/or video. To provide a qualified interpreter: a. Obtain a Stratus machine. Locations are designated by department locations. Any technical issues with the device should be directed to the Call Center at x 6107. b. Locate Stratus Video icon on the home screen and select the appropriate language. Upon connection, an interpreter appears on the screen. c. Position the device so that the patient and the interpreter can view each other. d. Document the interpreter s identification number in the patient s medical record. 2 OPI (A secondary option for video language interpreter device) such as Stratus is to call OPI (1-877-746-4674 (RING)) provide client ID #6689, cost center and describe the situation. 3. There is no charge to the unit for either service; it is only used as identification for the service. 4. SMHCS staff (HUC s, PCT s, Housekeepers, etc.) may not be used as translators for clinical/medical information regarding a
4 of 5 patient s medical care. (Unless the patient declines all other options: see Exception on Page 1). Staff may be used for daily living conversations. RESPONSIBILITY: REFERENCES: It is the responsibility of the department directors to see that staff is aware of, and adheres to, this policy. Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and other applicable federal and state laws, guidelines and regulations. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 501-504. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. Informed Consent/Refusal to Consent: For Surgery, Special Procedures, and the Administration of Blood and/or Blood Products (00.RSK.14). Sarasota, FL: author. AUTHOR(S): ATTACHMENT(S): Jean Lucas, Associate Chief Nursing Officer Susan Curran, Director, Human Resources Julie Polaszek, Director, Cardiac Progressive and Neurology Spencer Hudon, Clinical Manager, 8CYT Sue Olsen, Director, Critical Care/Trauma/Hemo None
5 of 5 APPROVALS: Signatures indicate approval of the new or reviewed/revised policy. Committees/Sections/Departments: Date Clinical Practice Council 6/7/18 Director/Responsible Owner: Vice President/Executive Director: Chief of Medical Operations: (if clinical policy or appropriate) Jean Lucas, ACNO 6/8/18 Connie Andersen, CNO 6/13/18 Chief of Staff: (if clinical policy or appropriate) Medical Executive Committee: (if clinical and review requested by CMO and COS) Chief Executive Officer: David Verinder, CEO 6/20/18