Ensuring patients and family members receive information about their healthcare in a timely and effective manner is an important priority. For non-English speakers and those with special needs, Riley at IU Health provides a variety of language services.
Interpreters
Trained medical interpreters are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for patients and family members who need an interpreter. Interpretation is available in 200 languages, including American Sign Language. All language interpretation services are provided free of charge to the patient.
Interpreters are readily available to help patients and families communicate with doctors and other healthcare team members. Accessing an interpreter is easy:
In the hospital – During hospital registration, tell a team member or your child’s nurse that you need an interpreter. A team member will contact Language Services for assistance.
As an outpatient – If your child is at Riley at IU Health for an outpatient test or procedure, or if you’re visiting a doctor’s office in the hospital or at the Riley Outpatient Center, tell a team member or your child’s nurse that you need an interpreter, and he or she will contact Language Services for assistance.
At home – If you have questions following your child’s hospitalization and need to speak with your doctor or a member of the healthcare team, call 317.962.5500 and let the operator know that you need an interpreter.
Interpreters are also available at Riley Physicians practices throughout central Indiana.
Spanish Family Education Team
The Spanish Family Education Team is a group of nurses and interpreters who work closely with patients and families who speak Spanish as their main language. Serving patients on the campus of Riley at IU Health in downtown Indianapolis, these team members visit our Spanish-speaking patients and families on a daily basis during their hospital stay. The Spanish Family Education team helps families in a variety of ways, including:
- Interpreting so that patients and families can communicate with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
- Teaching parents how to care for their child based on the child’s disease, condition or injury.
- Reviewing discharge instructions so that parents know and understand what needs to be done at home and what to do if questions or problems arise.
Much of the assistance provided by the Spanish Family Education team deals with helping patients and families prepare to return home. This may include escorting parents to the Outpatient Pharmacy or the Safety Store s to pick up prescriptions or purchase items that may be needed for the care of their children at home. Team members also help families make follow-up appointments and complete necessary paperwork, including registration forms and insurance and/or financial assistance applications and forms.
Services and assistance provided by the Spanish Family Education Team are available at no charge to Spanish-speaking families.
For more information about the Spanish Family Education Team or to request a visit from a team member, ask your nurse or doctor.
Services to Meet Your Needs
If you or your child has additional special communication needs, please let your child’s nurse or another team member know. Televisions in all patient rooms are equipped with closed captioning. Your child’s nurse or a team member can activate this feature for you, if you need assistance.