In-Person, Phone or Video Interpreter Services
HPSM partners with Certified Languages International (CLI) to offer HPSM members telephonic and video interpreting services in more than 200 languages. You and your office staff can access these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Telephonic, video and in-person interpreter services are available for use with HPSM members and their caregivers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and members who require sign language. All services are free of charge for medical and non-medical points of contact. Some services require appointments while others are available on-demand.
Appointment required
- In-person interpreters - including American Sign Language (ASL)
- Video interpreters (includes ASL) for specialty or recurring office/clinic and telemedicine visit
Available on demand
- Phone interpreters for office/clinic and telemedicine visit
- Video interpreters (including ASL) for office/clinic and telemedicine visit
Learn more about video remote interpreting.
Requesting an in-person interpreter
Because of a shortage of qualified medical interpreters in the San Mateo County area, we cannot guarantee that an in-person interpreter will be available for your appointment. We will do our best to accommodate all requests, regardless of when they are received. However, we recommend submitting your request as early as possible and no later than 10 business days prior to appointment date to make identifying an interpreter as likely as possible. Cancellations require at least 48 hours’ notice before the appointment.
To request an interpreter, complete the Online Interpreter Request Form or Interpreter Services Request Form to FAX/Email later . HPSM staff will process the request and contact you with a confirmation of assigned interpreter. See the information listed below for instructions and requirements for all types of interpreter services before completing and submitting request forms.
Phone interpreters
Telephonic, video and in-person interpreter services are available for use with HPSM members with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and members who require sign language. All services are free of charge to network providers. Some services require appointments while others are available on demand. For specialty or recurring telephonic interpreter needs, please complete this form. To access services on demand:
- Dial 1-800-225-5254 (1-800-CALL-CLI)
- Provide the following information to the CLI operator when prompted:
- Provider Access Code: 64095
- Provider type*
- Language needed
- Clinic name
- HPSM member ID
- HPSM member date of birth
- Begin your conversation after the CLI operator connects you to the interpreter.
*Note: this is a new requirement as of September 2022 to help HPSM monitor appropriate utilization of interpreter services. Please contact Provider Services if you need help identifying your provider type: i.e., Dental, Medical, Therapy (including physical/speech/behavioral), DME or Vendor.
Video interpreters
To get a video interpreter, you and your patient must have access to a smartphone, tablet or computer that meets the following requirements:
- A functional video camera and microphone.
- A network connection and Chrome, Firefox, or Safari web browser.
- Access to email or text service for receiving the secure link.
- Go to hpsm.cli-video.com
- Enter access code 64095hpsm
- Enter your name or clinic name, the member’s name, and the member’s date of birth and click Submit.
- Grant the platform permission to access your microphone and camera
- Click the video camera icon on the language you need
- If you have trouble understanding your patient, show them the screen and ask them to point out their language
- If a video interpreter is not immediately available, you can either choose an audio interpreter or schedule a video interpreter for a later time
- If you do not see the language you need, scroll to the bottom of the screen and choose “Other Languages” – an operator will then connect you to a telephonic interpreter who speaks the language you need
- When the appointment is done, click the red End Call button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
For more information, watch our webinar on “Video Remote Interpreting with 100% Remote Participation”
- Ensure the patient's computer system meets the minimum technical requirements.
- Go to hpsm.cli-video.com
- Enter access code 64095hpsm
- Enter your name or clinic name, the member’s name, and the member’s date of birth and click submit
- Grant the platform permission to access your microphone and camera.
- Click the video camera icon on the language you need.
- If a video interpreter is not immediately available, you can either choose an audio interpreter or schedule a video interpreter for a later time.
- If you do not see the language you need, scroll to the bottom of the screen and choose “Other Languages” – an operator will then connect you to a telephonic interpreter who speaks the language you need,
- Once you have connected to an interpreter, click the Add Expert button and enter the patient’s email or cell number.
- Click Invite and then Send Link
- When your patient clicks on the link you sent, and your patient allows access to video and microphone on their device, they will be connected to the session.
- When the appointment is done, click the red End Call button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
For more information, watch our webinar on “Video Remote Interpreting with 100% Remote Participation”
- Go to hpsm.cli-video.com
- Enter access code 64095hpsm
- Enter your name or clinic name, the member’s name, and the member’s date of birth and click submit.
- Grant the platform permission to access your microphone and camera.
- For language selection, click the video icon for American Sign Language.
- When the appointment is done, click the red End Call button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Go to hpsm.cli-video.com
- Enter access code 64095hpsm
- Enter your name or clinic name, the member’s name, and the member’s date of birth and click “submit”.
- Scroll to the bottom of the language selection screen, then click the Make an Appointment button.
- Fill out the information fields, then click the Submit data button.
- You will receive an email with a reference number and link for you to click at your scheduled appointment time (or you can scroll to the bottom of the expert selection screen, click the Go to an appointment button and enter your reference number).
- If you have scheduled a video interpreter for a later appointment, make sure the patient knows to log in at that time and email or text them the website link.
- Speak directly to your patient rather than the video interpreter – this helps them interpret everything they hear.
- Use a stand to position your device rather than asking the patient to hold it.
- Focus the camera on the patient rather than yourself and ask the interpreter to confirm that they can clearly see the patient.
- Learn how to use the CLI platform features:
- In the upper-right corner of the screen, under the red End Call button, is a menu where you can:
- Disable the speakers, microphone or camera for privacy.
- Call a colleague or patient’s relative by clicking Add Expert and using the dial pad.
- In the bottom-right corner, click Chat to send information to the member and/or interpreter.
- In the upper-right corner of the screen, under the red End Call button, is a menu where you can:
- Help your patient prepare
- Notify the patient of the scheduled time and date of the Telehealth visit.
- Ensure they meet the minimum technical requirements.
- Connect with the interpreter.
- Obtain a secure access code for the Certified Languages International (CLI) platform by sending a request to interpreters@hpsm.org.
- Enter your access code at hpsm.cli-video.com and click Submit.
- Allow permission to use your camera and microphone.
- Select “Video Option for Patient Language”.
- When an interpreter joins you, tell them that you’ll be inviting patient to join remotely.
- Invite your patient
- Click on Add Expert button in the toolbar.
- Click Invite then enter patient’s email or cell number in the corresponding field
- Click Send Link
- When your patient clicks on link you sent, they will be prompted to allow access to video and microphone on their device.
- End the remote appointment
- Select End Call red button
- Patient and interpreter will be disconnected from call
For more information, watch our webinar on “Video Remote Interpreting with 100% Remote Participation”
Interpreter best practices
- Check in with the interpreter before you begin to introduce yourself and summarize the clinical scenario.
- Speak directly to the patient, not to the interpreter.
- Avoid medical jargon, slang or humor that may not translate will into the patient's language.
- Speak clearly, focusing on one concept at a time, allowing the interpreter to speak between each key idea.
FAQs
Once you log into the platform, you can view estimated wait times next to each language.
If an interpreter is not immediately available, click on the language that you need interpreting services for and you can either proceed with an audio interpreter or schedule a video interpreter for a different time.
Yes, you can. In the language options screen, there is a make an appointment button at the bottom. Click on the button. Enter the requested information You will receive an email with a reference number once an interpreter has been confirmed.
You can connect to a scheduled appointment in two ways:
- Click on the link in your confirmation email: Enter the reference number provided to you
- Log into the platform: Click on the go to an appointment button at the bottom of the language selection screen: Enter the reference number provided to you.
In the language options screen, click on the other languages button. An operator will connect you to an over the phone interpreter through the platform.
The member cannot be required to use their own phone to access interpreter services. Please email interpreters@hpsm.org if you’re unable to provide the required interpreter services.