May 17, 2012
Interpreter Managers play a critical role in building a team of interpreters that is engaged and invested in the work they do. Still, the reality is that many managers of healthcare interpreters have a “slash” job which can make managing interpreters quite challenging. You have a “slash” job if you introduce yourself to others and it sounds something like this, “Hi! I’m an Interpreter Manager/Trainer/Language Services Coordinator/Swedish<>English Interpreter at the prestigious Makinuwell University Medical Center.” It’s not easy to pull off a role like this. Inevitably, some responsibilities, such as supporting the professional development of the interpreters in your department, take a back seat to the many other priorities that require your attention.
Here are three simple things you can do to invest in the continued professional development of your team of healthcare interpreters:
Block Time
Interpreters have very busy schedules. Departments need to run as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. A lot of time that means doing more with less and running as many appointments as you can with as few interpreters as possible. Still, interpreters need time for continued learning as part of the performance of their duties. It is an expectation in the interpreter code of ethics. It might even be written into the job description. Opportunity for continuous learning is quite probably part of what your interpreters love about their job and what keeps them energized about the work they do. Block time in your interpreters’ schedule that is reserved for study and professional development.
Give Tools
Interpreters need materials and tools that will facilitate their continued learning. A place to study and a computer with good internet access whose firewall allows reasonable freedom to conduct searches is a good start. Compile a “favorites” list of valuable websites so other team members can more efficiently research information. Start collection of multimedia resources for your department. Collaborate with your hospital’s library to take advantage of existing resources and grow its collection to include items of value to interpreters. Perhaps most importantly, ask the interpreters what tools they need to foster their continued learning.
Show Interest
Show an interest in your interpreters’ continued learning, and encourage them in their continued learning, not as an afterthought, but as a routine part of the workday. Take a few minutes to chat with your interpreters about what new things they’ve learned lately. Ask if they have the time and tools they need to grow their skills and knowledge. If someone on your staff attends a third party training event, provide an outlet for the interpreter to share the learning experience with the entire department. Acknowledge the professional growth that interpreters achieve as a result of their efforts to always learn more.
Interpreter Managers/Many Other Roles, invest in your interpreters’ professional development and you’ll have a team of interpreters that is invested in the work of your department.
Erin Rosales
Director of Interpreter Development
May 14, 2012
Working with anyone in a professional capacity can be intimidating and disconcerting when you don’t understand their role. The same is true for medical interpreters. Further, you may have worked with interpreters in the past who were not trained professionals in this field, and your expectations may have been shaped by those experiences – which may not have aligned with other experiences you’ve had causing you frustration or a reluctance to use interpreters again. Fear not! Below are a few general expectations you should carry into your next encounter with a professional medical interpreter and limited English proficient (LEP) patient. Holding interpreters to this standard will allow you to successfully communicate and interact with LEP patients and assure that you, not the interpreter, is in control of the interpreted encounter.
1. Expect neutrality.
Neutrality is accomplished by the interpreter transmitting exactly what has been said from one language to another. This exactness of message assures that both parties understand each other. When an interpreter remains in a neutral position, the physician and patient can feel at ease communicating directly. The relationship should be established between the physician and patient – not physician and interpreter or patient and interpreter. This neutrality allows the physician and patient to remain in control of the care given and received. When a professional interpreter does their job correctly, it will be as if you are speaking with your patient in his or her native language. There should be nothing said that you don’t immediately hear in your understood language.
2. Expect empowerment.
Communicate the same as you would with a native English speaker. Engage. Clarify. Assure understanding. Expect the interpreter to empower you and the LEP patient to communicate directly with one another. This direct communication will allow you the ability to clearly diagnose and understand the patient’s symptoms and needs, and assure the patient understands your suggested care plan.
3. Expect confidentiality.
Professional interpreters abide by a strict Code of Ethics forbidding them to break any level of confidentiality. Utilizing professional interpreters will assure that all private matters remain private. Professional interpreters also allow you to see your patients in strict confidence, without being forced to involve children, family members, neighbors or friends.
4. Expect professionalism.
Broadly speaking, professional interpreters are not trained social workers, educators, doctors or nurses. They are bilingual professionals who understand cultural differences and possess the breadth of vocabulary fitting the situations they are in. Interpreters will not give advice about the situation, but will adapt their skills to the needs of each unique encounter according to the guidelines of the profession and assure the parties involved overcome the language barriers that impede their ability to communicate directly and effectively with one another.
In summary, expect professional medical interpreters to represent you and your practice’s brand transparently and allow you the ability to establish a direct relationship with your patient. You should leave the interpreted encounter confident that you and your LEP patient have communicated in such a way that you have heard everything the patient said, and the patient has been allowed to make a proper, sound, educated decision based on the information and suggestions you provided.
Kyle Werych
Head of Business Development
May 10, 2012
I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to figure out what my next adventure will be in my professional career. Having conversations that move a relationship forward has always been a challenge for me. It seems as though I’m very engaging in any conversation, but demonstrating how I can help someone professionally seems to be my biggest barrier.
Maybe it’s because I would like to do everything for free. Maybe it’s because I don’t look like I could have the experience to be of value to an organization. Or maybe, and most likely, I don’t give myself enough credit.
Familiar environments can make a big difference. I remember growing up and spending a lot of time at a roller skating rink. I tended to be quite shy with people I didn’t know. But when I was with people and in a location that I knew well and trusted, watch out! I was unstoppable!
I think many people have the same feelings I do. Recently, a colleague went to visit a customer and asked for a testimonial. The customer agreed to offer a testimonial but clarified that she was a “terrible writer.” Someone in a senior level position in a large healthcare system says she’s a terrible writer! It made me feel more at ease with myself.
Communicating with others can be very difficult for some. I do well with large groups, but struggle terribly one on one. Whether we’re looking to advance our career or see a movie with a friend, we must all communicate with our recipient in a confident, compassionate and understanding way.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a meaningful dialogue with a vendor than be talked at by someone who thinks they know what my business needs better than I do!
Rashelle LeCaptain
President
May 9, 2012
For those well versed in health care language access, it will come as no surprise that health care providers should avoid using a limited-English proficient (LEP) patient’s family members, friends, children or minors to act as his or her interpreter. The risk of not using neutral, professional interpreters can range from simple miscommunications to, well, worse – not to mention the potential ramifications of falling short of confidentiality or equal-access compliance standards.
It seems however there is yet another factor hindering efficient patient and provider communications. Drum roll please….physicians. Really? The Palo Alto Medical Research Institute conducted focus groups in the San Francisco Bay Area and found that, “even relatively affluent and well-educated patients feel compelled to conform to socially sanctioned roles and defer to physicians during clinical consultations; that physicians can be authoritarian; and that the fear of being categorized as ‘difficult’ prevents patients from participating more fully in their own health care.”2
Add cultural and language barriers to this, and the interpersonal dynamics of a family member or child acting as a patient’s interpreter and we’re potentially a long way from transparent communications. None of these risks can be completely mitigated, but using an unbiased, professional health care interpreter will significantly improve the odds of comfortable and transparent communications.
Kyle Werych
Head of Business Development
May 7, 2012
Conferences (and similar events) offer great opportunities for professional development and to connect with industry colleagues and pioneers. It is exciting that interpreters, trainers, and administrators have a growing number of local, regional and national conferences from which to choose to fuel and inspire their own professional growth. However, with this increased opportunity comes an increase in conflict with attending various conferences. There’s the Scheduling Conflict, the Budget Conflict and the I-Still-Need-Time-to-Do-My-Job Conflict just to name a few.
As of this posting, I can readily name five events that I’d love to attend but will not due to a variety of the aforementioned Conflicts. I know that I’m not alone in this predicament, so I’m happy to share this blog post from David Kelly on How to Learn from a Conference You Aren’t Attending in which he gives advice on using Twitter as a way to tap into the event from afar. Although it doesn’t replace the richness of attending the event, it is a viable way to stay engaged with the important goings-on in the industries that drive your professional practice.
As for me, all I have to do is master Twitter, which should be quite a bit easier than mastering the art of bilocation and winning the lottery.
Erin Rosales
Director of Interpreter Development
May 3, 2012
The cost of language services is the number one concern for many organizations. All business looks for lower costs and higher quality. There is a give and take with any purchase. If I only want to pay $3,000 for my car, I can bet that I won’t be able to buy a new Ford Taurus. I can ask for a reduction in price all I want but, unless it’s Christmas, it’s not likely to happen.
At this price point, I will have to sacrifice certain features. Some are tangible, such as gas mileage, while others are intangible. I may have to think twice about taking a job with a lot of travel in the $3,000 car while the new Ford Taurus would make this a non-issue. Both will get me from point A to point B, but I’ll end up putting more money into the budget car when it requires repairs and maintenance.
It’s more difficult to make the same distinction with professional services. As a business owner I’ve learned a lot about purchasing such services. Most often I’ve tried to do things on my own first, only to realize that I wasted precious time better spent elsewhere. I was trying to figure something out that someone else could do so much more efficiently. Even though I have to pay for the service, I benefit because my problem is solved in a much more timely fashion and I am able to focus on my area of expertise.
I get frustrated when language services are referenced as a horrible injustice to health care. “The costs are too high.” “We can’t afford to hire interpreters.” “We’re losing money already and language services make it worse.” Poor communication affects so much more that the price of language services. Organizations must look at the intangible costs related to poor communication as much as they do the cost of interpreters.
Recently the (http://www.healthcarepayernews.com/content/nqf-endorses-all-cause-unplanned-readmissions-measures) National Quality Forum released a press release stating that readmissions cost $15 billion annually. The cause of some readmissions was adherence to treatment plans, patient health literacy and language barriers.
When health care has an opportunity to reduce a $15 billion dollar waste, I’d ask what are language services that improve communication worth?
Rashelle LeCaptain
President
May 2, 2012
In the health care language services industry, often “no news is good news” with respect to business relationships. It’s understandable. It isn’t that language services aren’t important, there are just a lot of important elements needed for successful and efficient patient care. Language services happen to be one of many – and if it’s not currently broken, then something else surely warrants the attention.
While it is typically good when nothing extreme is going on to warrant an urgent communication, not having regular contact can prevent the language services provider from leveraging their full potential for the health care organization. On both sides, operational processes can change; systems are enhanced; employees move; new services are unveiled. No news may mean everything is on track and proceeding as planned, or it might not.
Engage in the relationship. Keep each other abreast of upcoming needs and interests. Measure performance levels at appropriate intervals. These actions assure language services are being provided to the health care system in their most efficient manner.
Kyle Werych
Head of Business Development
April 24, 2012
Healthcare interpreters are expected to do many things. Among them are the expectations to establish rapport with the individuals for whom they interpret and provide excellent customer service. Here are three suggestions on how to easily build rapport and demonstrate excellent customer service.
Introduce Yourself
Anytime you have an initial contact with someone, whether in person or on the phone, always introduce yourself first and then move on to the business at hand. This is especially important when you are initiating the communication. If a stranger calls my house and asks to speak with so-and-so without first stating who they are or why they are calling, I will be very guarded and much more likely to abruptly end the communication than if the caller takes a moment to state who they are first and then ask me to reveal information. So, when I make contact with someone who doesn’t know who I am or what my purpose is, I need to remember to extend the courtesy of identifying myself first and then moving on to the purpose of the communication. After all, why should I expect anybody to tell me anything unless I’ve told them who I am first?
Address People by Name
People have names, and those names are important. Dale Carnegie said, “If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.” I can extend a kindness and compliment to someone without even having to know their personal skills and talents. All I have to do is address someone by their name. While there is nothing inherently wrong or offensive about referring to someone as the “nurse” or “patient” or “interpreter,” learning someone’s name moves the interaction beyond the generic and impersonal. It acknowledges the individual person, which is a key component to building rapport.
Speak with Sincerity
It isn’t enough to mindlessly rattle off the words and go through the motions. You must show that you are fully invested in the task and people at hand. Put the electronic communication devices aside, make eye contact (or other culturally appropriate body language), and speak kindly. Set aside all temptations toward inattentiveness in order to avoid projecting an attitude of indifference toward the individual or situation. When you speak with sincerity, you show others that you are fully engaged in the concerns of the moment and in them as valuable individuals.
What are you doing to build rapport and drive customer service?
Leave a comment and continue the discussion!
Erin Rosales
Director of Interpreter Development
March 22, 2012
Experiences shape our choices. I know that if I choose to push off ‘alone time’ with my daughters, because I’m tired from a long day at work, I’ll have cranky ladies at my house. Many students only need to get one bad grade before they choose to make sure their homework is completed and handed in on time.
Think, for a moment, and answer the following questions:
What business will you be forever loyal to? Why is that?
Why did you choose these clothes today?
Why will you never be going to return to that restaurant again?
I’d bet you even frequent the same grocery store week after week.
Businesses, good ones, know that their customers have choices. They design their services according to the experiences they hope will keep customers coming back time and time again. Everyone has choices and those choices dictate the experiences we’ll have.
Health care is a business and their programs are designed around a very purposeful experience, knowing most people would rather be anywhere else but at a health care facility. The outcome of the experience depends on pleasant people and relaxing environments, like entryways and waiting rooms. Positive experiences affect satisfaction ratings, the success of preventative medicine and tenured employees that are engaged.
Health care organizations are successful because they deliver experiences that are not only positive, but memorable. Employees and service providers, including language services, are responsible for making sure the organization’s vision is fulfilled. Language access programs fail because they do not deliver the experience that customers expect. Predictable language access resources build trust because they create a positive and memorable experience for organizations and their employees.
The choices we make depend on the predictability of an experience. Sometimes they are our own and other times we make choices based on the experiences of a trusted friend. Positive experiences build trust and trust builds loyalty.
What experiences will your employees have with language services today?
Rashelle LeCaptain
President
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