Physician Handbook

Health care providers that participate with Medicare or Medicaid are legally obligated to provide interpretive services for patients who have limited proficiency in English, are hearing impaired, or have needs for interpretive services.  A personal interpreter of the same gender is provided when possible.  Interpreters are trained in medical terminology and general healthcare regulations such as HIPAA compliance and their obligations as a part of the patient care team.  Use of family members or friends as interpreters is discouraged.  Catholic Charities offers trained language interpreters.  Mercy has use of the Language Line (telephonic interpretive services) for unscheduled appointments.  The Language Line can be accessed from any non-public telephone in the hospital.  There is a charge for the use of the line.  Our ID is 223013 Mercy Hospital.  Documentation of interpreter use should be put in a patient's medical record.

Other interpreters may be used for hearing impared patients or other patients who may need interpreter services.  Mercy staff know how to access interpreters when needed.

Additional points of interest: a patient can refuse use of an interpreter, however if a provider prefers an interpreter, the provider can request use of an interpreter.   Extra care should be taken to ensure that a patient understands any information and instructions given to them.