Q:  Do patients have to bring their own interpreters? 
Q:  When should I send the interpreter request for a patient's appointment?
Q:  What if the patient is referred to/from another clinic? Who should schedule the interpreter? 
Q:  How do I know if the patient needs an interpreter?
Q:  What do I do if the patient cancels or re-schedules his/her appointment and there was an interpreter scheduled?
Q:  What do I do if I need to cancel or re-schedule an appointment for a patient who is LEP?
Q:  The patient has someone with him/her who speaks English. Why can't that person be the interpreter for the patient?
Q:  An interpreter was requested for the patient and the patient is here, but no interpreter has arrived yet. What do I do?
Q:  How do I request an interpreter?
Q:  How can I get a translation of a document?

Q:  Do patients have to bring their own interpreters? 
Vanderbilt provides interpreters free of charge to our patients. It is not the patient's responsibility to provide his/her own interpreter. Please do not ask the patient to bring his/her own interpreter.

Q:  When should I send the interpreter request for a patient's appointment?
A:  When you schedule an appointment for an LEP patient, please request an interpreter as soon as possible after you finish scheduling the appointment with the provider. This will help avoid last minute calls, healthcare providers' frustration, and will help minimize the patient’s wait time. To avoid scheduling problems, please finish scheduling the provider appointment before you submit an interpreter request.

Q:  What if the patient is referred to/from another clinic? Who should schedule the interpreter?
A:  If the patient is referred to/from another clinic or s/he is scheduled for a procedure in another location, the referring clinic personnel should advise the other clinic that the patient is LEP and that an interpreter needs to be scheduled (if the provider does not speak the LEP patient’s language!).

Q:  How do I know if the patient needs an interpreter?
A:  Please ask the patient if an interpreter is needed and make sure that the computer demographic information reflects the patient's LEP status.

Q:  What do I do if the patient cancels or re-schedules his/her appointment and there was an interpreter scheduled?
A:  If the patient cancels or re-schedules his/her appointment, please contact Interpreter Services with the updated information.

Q:  What do I do if I need to cancel or re-schedule an appointment for a patient who is LEP?
A:  If it is necessary to contact the patient to cancel or re-schedule, please use the OPI line, our telephonic interpreting service.

Q:  The patient has someone with him/her who speaks English. Why can't that person be the interpreter for the patient?
A:  Our patients have a right to have a trained professional interpret for them. Please do not ask the patient's family members or friends to interpret for the patient.

Q:  An interpreter was requested for the patient and the patient is here, but no interpreter has arrived yet. What do I do?
A:  Optimal Phone Interpreters is a service that provides interpreters over the phone. Telephonic interpreters can be used for check-in if your on-site interpreter has not arrived or in emergency situations/last minute calls when an on-site interpreter is unavailable. Please use this service as it can help prevent misunderstandings!

Q:  How do I request an interpreter?
A:  It is simple and easy to request an interpreter! Use our on-line request form or call 2-7378. When calling, please have all the information ready (patient MRN and name, language, date/time of appointment, location, contact name and telephone number). If you have to leave a message, make sure that you provide all information and a contact name and number just in case our office personnel needs to call you back.

Q:  How can I get a translation of a document?
A:  If you need documents translated or to have translations revised, please e-mail the documents in Microsoft Word format to Darien.Mejia-Olivares@vanderbilt.edu. Never use Babblefish or any other translation system over the internet for translations.