Language and Interpreter Services

Working with Interpreters in Your Practice

Treating the whole patient – not only their conditions – is a major component of delivering quality healthcare. Delaware First health offers you information and tools to help make that possible. All providers (Medical, Behavioral, Pharmacy, etc.) may request interpreter services, translated materials or auxiliary aids and services, please call 1-877-236-1341 to speak with provider services.

For in-person interpreter services, the request should be scheduled 5 business days in advance of the appointment to allow time for the vendors to meet the need and coordination of services with the member and provider's office. For urgent needs, we may be able to accommodate services within 2 business days. When calling in, the following information is required: 

• Member Name
• Member ID Number
• Appointment Date and Time
• Language Requested

Cancellation and rescheduling can be completed when necessary. 

Not sure of your patient’s language? Click on “Language Assistance” in the footer at the bottom of our website and have the member point to their language. If it’s not listed, you can work with the interpreter service to identify the right language.

Using the speakerphone function is recommended for communication efficiency between you, your patient and the interpreter.

Providers that use bilingual staff to communicate with patients must ensure that bilingual staff can interpret effectively, accurately, and to and from the language of the patient and English, using any necessary specialized vocabulary terminology and phraseology.

Providers are strongly encouraged to document in the medical record the use of family, friends and minors as interpreters. If an interpreter is offered and the patient declines, the provider should also document this in the medical record.

Provider Demographic Changes

Delaware First Health needs your help to ensure we have your most up to date information about your provider data, including race/ethnicity and languages spoken in your office.  We have created an easy way for you to request updates to your information and ensure we receive what we need to complete your request in a timely manner.   

Please use the below forms to provide us with the most current information about your office.

• Change a Phone Number and/or Fax Number
• Change Practitioner Name
• Update Service Location Hours
• Add or Update Practitioner Race/Ethnicity and/or Language Spoken by Practitioner
• Language Spoken by Office and Language Services Available

Thank you in advance for updating your date. We will continue to make improvements to our processes to allow you to update all your information electronically.