Sharp Healthcare Interpreting Program

agenda 2 » Overview » SIGNS » Education » Web Site

Assessment of Interpreting Process »Polices – Interpreting Polices were reviewed. »Attended Community Focus Groups regarding Interpreting needs of the patient. »Reviewed the Joint Commission New & Revised Standards & Elements of performance for Patient- Centered Communication »Conducted telephone Interviews with other Hospital to determine best practices »Conducted interviews with Hospital staff to determine their needs regarding interpreting. »Pull a representative from each Hospital together to address issues & processes 3

Patient arrives to the Hospital » Interpreter services will be offered to non-English speaking, limited English and deaf patients. » The admission data sheet/care plan for communication barriers with the patient will be developed, plus signs placed in patient room and on chart indicating primary language. Patient is scheduled for Surgery Patient is scheduled testing. » Physician’s office will contact scheduling staff to request appointment for patient. Interpreting needs are given at that time. » The Scheduling office will contact one of Sharp’s contracting companies to schedule the interpreter to arrive at the time of the patient’s appointment overview 4 » Upon scheduling of the surgical case, the surgery scheduler will verify the patients primary language. » The patient’s interpreting needs is documented in the Surgery Scheduling Program. » The Pre Anesthesia Department (PAES) retrieves the information and schedules an interpreter to arrive at the Hospital to be with the patient during the admission and assessment process. »

Education »How do I know when an interpreter will be needed? »What areas of health care may require the use of a sign language interpreter? »Who is responsible for providing and paying for interpreting services? »What makes an Interpreter qualified? »What documentation is required? »How do you let the interpreter know when you no longer need their services? »Can a deaf person read lips or white notes instead of using an interpreter? »Can an interpreter be in the room with the patient alone? »Why do we have signs up in the Hospitals regarding Interpreting? »Can an Interpreter accompany the patient to specific location such as the operating room or birthing suites? »What is the California Telephone Access Program? 5

Languages are provided at Sharp through external interpreters and agencies. Sharp requires that the agencies keep documentation of annual competencies for in person and over the phone interpreters. Physicians are informed of the interpreter regulations and policies. They are encourage to use the language line or call for an interpreter. 6

Interpretation tools –Dual Handset Phones. Each Nursing Unit and Clinic Department has a Dual Handset Phone or a Cordless Phone can be requested for those departments where the Cordless Phone would be a better fit. The Dual Handset phones are kept at the Nursing stations. –TTY machines are location in the PBX departments. They are available for the Nurses to check out for Patients. –Hard of hearing handsets are available for patients. Nursing staff can order and place in the patients room. –Effective January 31, 2013 we have a Video Pilot in place at one of our Sharp Hospitals. We are in the process of rolling out to all of the Sharp Hospitals and Urgent Cares.

Charting of interpreter »Nurses chart language preferences and ask about a needed interpreter in each unit’s intake form 8

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Acute Patient Intake 10

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Best Practices 12 Having the phones available with a wide range of languages paired with agencies that provide interpreters that are trained in medical terminology has worked very well. Developed a Sharp Intranet page for Interpreting which provides: Answers to the frequently asked questions Gives instruction on how to use two handset phone Gives instruction on how to obtain additional phones The updated policy is at the site as well as updated legal bulletins

Next Steps 13 Monitor the processes that we have put in place. Continue to educate staff Roll out Video Interpreting at all of the Emergency Sites and Urgent cares.