Patients And Visitors

Translation Services

Language access and interpretive services

Understanding your healthcare team — and making sure you are understood — is essential to experiencing your best health. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits exclusion from services and discrimination on grounds of race, color, and national origin among others. This extends to people with non- or limited-English proficiency and is why having expert medical interpretation services available at our medical center is essential to protect the patient, as well as the healthcare provider.

Speaking to patients in the languages they need  

It’s important that our healthcare team use the services of a professional medical interpreter who has been specially trained and certified in interpreting medical terminology in a medical center setting. This ensures accurate communication across cultural differences and allows nurses and physicians to speak to the exact nature of a health issue without worrying that the patient is getting only partial information or incorrect information. It also protects confidentiality. Patients benefit in that the medical interpreter allows them to speak directly to the healthcare provider without difficulty. 

Please let your healthcare team know if you require translation services. 

Where we provide translation services

Adventist Health provides foreign and sign language interpreters and phone calling services to help when you: 

  • Make medical appointments for or visit with an Adventist Health Portland provider or hospital service like imaging, surgery, or physical therapy.
  • Have medical tests at our hospital or clinics.
  • Talk with providers and staff anywhere in our hospital or clinics.
  • Are visited in your home by Adventist Health Portland staff. 

Accessing translation services when at the hospital

If you need interpreter services, ask your nurse or call one of the following:

  • Deaf Patient Services voice line – ext. 6164
  • Deaf Patient Services TTY – ext. 6300
  • Foreign Language Services – ext. 6137

For patients whose primary language is Spanish

For our Spanish-speaking patients we use staff interpreters in-person whenever possible. When not possible, we use telephonic services (over-the-phone interpreters).

We urge patients to use the medical center’s professional interpreters. This is even if a Spanish-speaking patient may have a family member with them who speaks English as well as Spanish. Using our interpreters provides the best quality care by ensuring our medical professionals’ messages are communicated exactly and in a culturally appropriate fashion.

For deaf and ASL-speaking patients

For our American Sign Language speaking patients, we use video remote interpreters. It’s a lot like using Zoom.

For all other languages

We use telephonic services of Language Line for all other languages. Please see contact information below.

Download our Interpretive Services Policy.

If you speak a common foreign language, language assistance services are available to you free of charge. Call 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

Español (Spanish)

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

繁體中文 (Chinese)

注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222)。

Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

한국어 (Korean)

주의: 한국어를 사용하시는 경우, 언어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 971-673-1222 (TTY: 1-971-673-1222)번으로 전화해 주십시오.

فارسی Persian (Farsi) توجھ

اگر بھ زبان فارسی گفتگو می کنید، تسھیلات زبانی بصورت رایگان برای شما (TTY: 971-673-1222) فراھم می باشد. با تماس بگیرید.

Русский (Russian)

ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы говорите на русском языке, то вам доступны бесплатные услуги перевода. Звоните  971-673-1222 (телетайп: 971-673-1222).

日本語 (Japanese)

注意事項：日本語を話される場合、無料の言語支援をご利用いただけます。971-673-1222（TTY: 971-673-1222）まで、お電話にてご連絡ください。

العربية (Arabic)

رقم  ملحوظة: إذا كنت تتحدث اذكر اللغة، فإن خدمات المساعدة اللغویة تتوافر لك بالمجان. اتصل برقم . 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222) ھاتف الصم والبكم.

ខ្មែរ (Cambodian)

ប្រយ័ត្ន៖ បើសិនជាអ្នកនិយាយ ភាសាខ្មែរ, សេវាជំនួយផ្នែកភាសា ដោយមិនគិតឈ្នួល គឺអាចមានសំរាប់បំរើអ្នក។ ចូរ ទូរស័ព្ទ 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222)

Deutsch (German)

ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen, stehen Ihnen kostenlos sprachliche Hilfsdienstleistungen zur Verfügung. Rufnummer: 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

Cushite/Oroomiffa (Oromo)

XIYYEEFFANNAA: Afaan dubbattu Oroomiffa, tajaajila gargaarsa afaanii, kanfaltiidhaan ala, ni argama. Bilbilaa 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

Français (French)

ATTENTION: Si vous parlez français, des services d'aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement. Appelez le 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

Română (Romanian)

ATENȚIE: Dacă vorbiți limba română, vă stau la dispoziție servicii de asistență lingvistică, gratuit. Sunați la 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

ภาษาไทย (Thai) เรียน

ถ้าคุณพูดภาษาไทยคุณสามารถใช้บริการช่วยเหลือทางภาษาได้ฟรี โทร 971-673-1222 (TTY: 971-673-1222).

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