Spoken interpretation services available to community specialists and teams

To further support specialists caring for patients in the community office setting, the SSC CBS Working Group has expanded spoken language interpretation services to community-based specialists, and your office-based Allied Health teams.

Interpretation Services

Accessible through the Provincial Language Service (PLS), professional interpreters offer services:

• Via telephone
• 24 hours, 7 days a week
• On-demand
• In about 240 languages

If you work within a health authority site: this service can be accessed through your health authority process at no cost to you.

If you work in a community-based practice only: this service can be accessed through the SSC pilot program at no cost to you.

How community-based specialists can connect with an interpreter

Note: A separate process for Allied Health Team access is below.

1. Get an access code

To use the service, community-based specialists will be asked to provide an access code for your specialty.

• Access codes have been e-mailed to specialists by their Section Head.
• Or you can e-mail SSC (for a response within one business day).
• Or for immediate access code support: call 604-736-5551 or 1-800-665-2262 (Mon-Fri 830 am - 430 pm)

2. Connect with an interpreter

• Call 1.833.718.2154 (toll free).
• Select a language.
• Enter your access code.
• Indicate you are a member Doctors of BC.
• Wait 30-60 seconds to connect with an interpreter.

How members of your Allied Health team can connect with an interpreter

Please note that only Allied Health members working directly within a clinic structure are eligible to access this service.
 

1. Confirm approval for access by your office-based Allied Health team

E-mail sscbc@doctorsofbc.ca indicating:

1. that you (the specialist) approve the use of the Spoken Language Translation Service by your office-based allied health team
2. you are requesting the process be set up
3. the name and e-mail of one team member who will be the key contact

2.  Get a unique access code for Allied Health team members

• A confirmation e-mail will be provided to you in response to your application, which provides instructions for the key contact for your Allied Health team to then request a unique access code for Allied Health, via sscbc@doctorsofbc.ca.

3. Connect to services

When a team member makes the request for the Spoken Language Translation Services they will need to provide:

• their access code
• identification of their professional role (i.e. RN, MOA, RT etc.)
• type of specialty they are affiliated with
   

About Spoken Language Interpretation Services and community-based specialists

Through 2022, spoken language interpretation services have been well-received by specialists practicing in community offices, with:

• 19 different specialties accessing this service
• A combined monthly average of 50 hours  
• A multitude of languages accessed: the most popular being Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Cantonese, and Korean

To learn more, visit the Provincial Health Services Authority website.

For more information, email SSC.