What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Communicator - Patient Support Specialist position at Hackensack Meridian Health?
At Hackensack Meridian Health, we believe that our team members are the heart of what makes us better. Our employees are not just workers, but team members who help our patients live better, healthier lives.
We offer a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, where our employees can succeed and thrive. With competitive benefits as just the beginning, we support each other and show up for our community.
Our Medical Communicator - Patient Support Specialist serves as a liaison to the language needs of the community by providing interpreting services in the Emergency Department. This position helps bridge linguistic and cultural barriers to ensure appropriate communication, delivery of health care, and support services.
- Assists patients/families and providers in engaging in open and clear communication.
- Communicates clearly, courteously, and responsibly with patients, families, providers, hospital staff, and all visitors.
- Maintains a high level of confidentiality and non-bias behavior consistently.
- Provides accurate oral interpretation services for Spanish-speaking patients and families.
- Utilizes the appropriate standards and approach to the interpretative process.
- Conducts purposeful rounding for outcomes on all patients/families using departmental-approved scripting.
- Communicates observations affecting compliance to the healthcare team.
- Demonstrates consistently the Pride in Caring, customer service philosophy, and policy.
- Demonstrates the ability to work under pressure with diverse members of the team, patients, and families.
- Complies with established departmental policies and procedures.
- Provides customer relations services/comfort measures through initiating and maintaining effective communication with patients and/or their families.
- Responds to requests for non-clinical comfort needs.
- Ability to work in challenging situations involving issues of delivering difficult messages, including death and dying.
- Maintains an environment that promotes patient and personal safety.
- Assists in helping patients move through the hospital system.
- Other duties and/or projects as assigned.
- Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.
Qualifications
Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:
- High School diploma, general equivalency diploma (GED), and/or GED equivalent programs.
- Minimum of one year of experience as an interpreter.
- Ability to speak English and Spanish (or other language) fluently and to work effectively with Hispanic (or other specific population).
- In-depth knowledge of medical terminology, successfully passing a medical terminology course.
- Training and/or experience in medical interpretation via face-to-face or phone, and successfully passing an interpreter course.
- Knowledge and ability to articulate the cultural and perceptual factors that affect communication between patients, families, providers, and interpreters.
- Demonstrate ability to relate to people in a warm and consistently friendly manner. Teamwork orientation, commitment to customer service excellence, and collaborative approach required.
- Ability to remain flexible and exercise tact and judgment regarding personal/confidential matters.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms.
Preferred Qualifications
Associate's or Bachelor's Degree.
Prior experience as an interpreter in a healthcare setting or related field.
