James Madison University

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Schedule an Interpreter

Download an Interpreter Request Form

This form must be completely filled out and faxed to the Blue Ridge AHEC confidential fax unit at (540) 568-3172. We ask that Interpreter Request Forms be faxed no later than 48 hours prior to the appointment, if possible. Feel free to call the Community Health Interpreter Service at (540)568-3011 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm if you have questions about filling out the form.

  1. Please be prepared to provide the following information on the Interpreter Request Form:
    • Patient's name, age, gender, language/dialect the patient speaks and telephone number
    • Date and time of appointment, duration of appointment (estimated), nature of appointment (may help with assigning a particular interpreter)
    • Appointment site, address, department, floor and room number
    • Provider/contact person and phone number at appointment site
    • Contact name/department with address to be invoiced (contracted agency)
    • Social Security Number (only if required for worker compensation cases or by the employer)

      The provider (not the interpreter) is responsible for confirming the appointment with the patient.
  2. Please fill out and submit a new Interpreter Request Form for each appointment.
  3. Blue Ridge AHEC will schedule a language-appropriate interpreter, based on availability. If a provider or patient requests a particular interpreter, we will do our best to fulfill that request. We will contact the requesting provider when an interpreter is secured for the appointment. A notice period of two or more days prior to the appointment is suggested.
  4. The interpreter arrives fifteen minutes before the actual time of the appointment to register the patient. Billing begins at this time. When the interpreter arrives, he/she will wait with the patient until they are called for the appointment. At the start of the provider’s visit with the patient, the interpreter will introduce him/herself to the provider and explain the interpreting process. The interpreter will remain with the patient until the conclusion of the appointment.
  5. The interpreter will fill out an Encounter Form which includes patient information that has been provided, as well as the actual time that was spent at the appointment from start to finish. The interpreter will obtain the signature of the person authorizing interpreting for the department. The interpreter will provide an Evaluation Form to the provider, which can be faxed to Blue Ridge AHEC at (540) 568-3172, emailed to interpreter@jmu.edu, or handed back to the interpreter.
  6. The interpreter will return the Encounter Form to the Blue Ridge AHEC office, which will initiate an invoice to the specified person/department. For billing questions, please contact Marcia Chamberlin at (540)568-6052.