Interpreter Services - BCH San Francisco

What services does Interpreter Services provide? 

Through an array of language services to the medical center's Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients and their medical teams and in line with UCSF Health's PRIDE values, Interpreter Services helps facilitate our patients' access to equitable healthcare, increasing their ability to fully participate in their own care and take the lead in their health and well-being. The services we provide include but aren't limited to:

• Interpreting in person and remotely for patients at their healthcare visits and during hospitalizations
• Translating patient-facing communications
• Interpreting for UCSF Health community webinars 
• Our in-house medical interpreter staff includes 10 Spanish interpreters, 4 Chinese interpreters, and 2 Russian interpreters 

What can providers do to be more inclusive of patients/families who are limited-English speaking?

• Work with a qualified medical interpreter for all patient communications. Sometimes, patients are hesitant to express their need for an interpreter, so if the provider took the initiative, it might be a relief to the patient. 
• Be on the alert re: facial cues and other body language--a facial expression may not always be what we might think. For example, a patient might nod to be courteous, not because s/he/they understand what was just said.
• Spend the same amount of time and effort getting to know your LEP patient as you would an English-speaking patient. 
• Ask yourself, "Is this the same experience I'd be providing an English-speaking patient?"