Our Services

The Interpreter Services Office helps patients who are deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, and/or limited English proficient (LEP). These services include:  

• American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters
• Readers for patients who are visually impaired or blind
• Assistive listening devices
• Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities in Braille
• Access to a qualified interpreters for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

On-site interpreters speaking the following languages are available:

• Amharic
• Arabic
• Bosnian
• Burmese
• Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese)
• Farsi
• Japanese
• Kurdish
• Lao
• Nepali
• Somali
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Vietnamese

How to request an interpreter

Sign Language interpreters
For services for the deaf and hard of hearing, please contact Bridges directly by email or by phone at (615) 248-8828.

On-site interpreters
When you schedule and appointment for an LEP patient, Interpreter Services receives an automatic interpreter request in Epic. The patient's preferred language must be selected in the demographics section of his or her chart.  If you do not use EPIC, need to schedule a procedure or surgery, or have a last-minute request, you can email by clicking here or by calling the office at 615.322.7378.

If you schedule an appointment after 4 p.m., Interpreter Services can't provide an interpreter for the morning of the following day.

An on-site Spanish interpreter is available around the clock.  To reach the interpreter, staff members can page (615) 835-0507 (Vanderbilt University Hospital) or (615) 835-9798 (Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt). 

Telephone interpreters
Interpreter Services provides 24-hour access to telephone interpreters. For any language, staff members can call (866) 874-3972 or (877) 746-4674.

Document translation and revision

The Interpreter Services Office can translate medical center forms. For more information, click here.

Service for patients who are visually impaired

For more information about finding a reader and/or Braille documents for visually impaired patients, please call (615) 322-7378.

Questions or feedback

Email the manager, T. Hope Collins, or contact the Interpreter Services Office at (615) 322-7378.