PROTOCOLS AND BEST PRACTICES

This document will work for you as example for best practices on our protocols for each
interaction that we might have in the calls. Please read carefully and follow as instructed here
in this document.

Content
1. Greeting: .......................................................................................................................... 2
2. Presessions: ...................................................................................................................... 2
3. Repetition, Clarification, or Verification: ............................................................................... 3
4. Turn Taking Process: .......................................................................................................... 3
5. Hold time: ......................................................................................................................... 4
6. Withdrawing from a call: .................................................................................................... 4
7. Problem-solving / Troubleshooting: ..................................................................................... 5
8. Call closing / Post-session: .................................................................................................. 5

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 1. Greeting (Official Script):
• Your greeting must go always at the beginning of your call before you start interpreting to either
party (LEP and Provider), your greeting MUST include: Your name, interpreting language
(Provider ONLY), Interpreter ID (Provider ONLY), and states that everything will be
interpreted, E.g;
o "Hello. Thank you for calling. My name is (First name), My interpreter ID is (Employee
ID#) and I will be your (Language) interpreter, everything you say will be interpreted.
May I collect some information before we start?”.

2. Presessions (Official Script):

• In your presession is where youre gonna let both LEP and Provider know how the call flow will
be managed during the interpreting session:

• Pre-session with Provider (spoken language)

- “Please look and speak directly to your patient. Speak slowly and pause often so that I
may interpret everything completely and accurately. Everything will be interpreted in
the first person. Before we begin, is there anything the interpreter needs to know?
• Pre-session with Patient (in non-English language)
- “My name is (First Name) and I will be your (Language) interpreter. Please look and
speak directly to your provider. Speak slowly and pause often so that I may interpret
everything completely and accurately. Everything will be interpreted in the first person.
Everything will remain confidential.”

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 3. Repetition, Clarification, or Verification (Suggested script):
• The interpreter uses his intervention tool, to ask for either Repetition, Clarification, or
Verification, to ensure that the message is clear and will be interpreted in the most accurate
way possible, keep in mind the following order: If you need to ask the LEP for any of the 3
mentioned above, first, you need to let the provider know you will ask for a repetition to the
LEP. Now if you need to ask the Provider for any of the 3 listed above, you need to let the LEP
know first that you’ll ask the Provider for them, E.g;

o Prov: “Este es el interprete pedire una ~Repeticion, Verificacion, Aclaracion~ a su

doctor, permitame un momento. This is the interpreter ~Provider~ (Dr, Sir, Ma’am,
Nurse) I’d like to ask you for a ~Repetition, Verification, Clarification~ thank you”.

o LEP: “This is the Interpreter, I’ll ask for a ~Repetition, Verification, Clarification~ to your
~Patient, Mr or Ms ~ give me one moment. Habla el interprete ¿Podria ~Repetir,
Alcararar, Verificar ~ lo que dijo? Muchas gracias”.

4. Turn Taking Process (Suggested Script):

• If the interpreter has an encounter where the LEP and/or Provider are interrumpting each other
or the intepreter when rendering his message; Then the interpreter must explain politely to
either or both parties about the Turn Taking Process, Eg;
o Prov: “Habla el interprete, permitame un momenot mientras explico a su ~Dr,
Proveedor~ de que debemos tomarnos turnos al hablar. This is the interpreter, ~Sr,
Ma’am, Dr~ I would like to ask if we could take turns when speaking, so in that way I can
help you deliver the message in the most accurate way possible and help you in the best
way I can, Thank you very much”.
o LEP: “This is the interpreter; I’d like to explain about the Turn Taking Process to your
~patient~ since he or she is interrumpting when I render the message, thank you. Habla
el interprete, me gustaria pedirle si podemos tomarnos turnos al hablar para que asi de
esa manera yo pueda interpretar su mensaje de manera completa a su ~Dr, Proveedor~
y asi de esa manera cuando el responda su mensaje, yo se lo pueda entregar a usted de
manera completa y asi no se pierda de nada, muchisimas gracias”.

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 5. Hold time (Official Script):
• If the provider requires you to hold on the line until they come back you must do the following:

o Prov: “This is the interpreter; I can wait up to 10 min for your return. I will shut off my
video and audio for the patient’s privacy”
o LEP: “Apagare mi audio y video por su privacidad mientra su ~Dr, Proveedor~ esta fuera
de la sala. Continuaremos con la interpretacion una vez su ~Dr, Proveedor~ vuelva”

• If your hold time is up and the provider isn’t back, ask if there is an English speaker 3 times, if no
one answers, let the LEP know that your hold time is up and that you must disconnect the call,
and also to let the LEP know about it and they will get a new interpreter. Do not forget to do
your closing/post-session.

6. Withdrawing from a call (Official Script):

• Long call
- Provider: “Provider, as the interpreter, I think we’ve reached a good moment in the
conversation to switch out interpreters. Please remain on the line and you’ll be
connected with one of my colleagues momentarily and you can continue. Thank you.”
- Patient (in non-English language): "Como intérprete, creo que hemos llegado a un buen
momento en la conversación para cambiar de intérprete. Por favor, permanezca en la
línea y será conectado con uno de mis colegas momentáneamente y podrá continuar.
Gracias."

• Conflict of Interest
- Provider: “Due to a conflict of interest, the interpreter must withdraw from this
encounter. Please remain on the line and you’ll be connected with one of my colleagues
momentarily and you can continue. Thank you.”
- Patient: "El intérprete tiene que retirarse de la llamada, por favor espere al siguiente
intérprete".

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 7. Problem-solving / Troubleshooting (Suggested Script):
• The interpreter informed both parties about technical issues and was prompt to provide solutions.

8. Call closing / Post-session (Official Script):

• The interpreter says farewell to both The provider and LEP as follows:

- Video calls: “Is there anything else the interpreter can help you with? Thank you for
calling." To LEP: “Se despide el inteprete, feliz dia.”
- Audio calls: “Is there anything else the interpreter can help you with? Interpreter [ID#]
will sign off. Thank you for calling." To LEP: “ Se despide el interprete, feliz dia.”
- Interpreter disconnects due to hold time (in non-English language): “Alcanzamos el
tiempo máximo de espera, debo desconectarme. Una vez vuelva su proveedor, puede
solicitar llamar de nuevo por un interprete. Feliz día.”