Language Services at Nationwide Children's

Every word matters.

The Language Services Department coordinates medical interpretation and translation services for families with limited English proficiency and for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

To help effectively communicate with care providers, all patients/families are offered and provided access to language services for essential health-related communications at no cost. Languages services are provided through a combination of staff interpreters, contractors, and video and telephone services.

Nationwide Children’s has certified interpreters on staff. Certified interpreters have a high level of proficiency in at least two languages and have superior professional skills. They also have the appropriate training and experience to interpret with skill and accuracy, while adhering to the National Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice published by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. In addition, Nationwide Children’s contracts with selected agencies to provide on-site, remote video, and phone interpreter services.

How to Access Language Services

1. Patient/family dials toll-free number
2. Patient/family hears Nationwide Children's in-language custom greeting and is connected to an interpreter
3. Patient/family and interpreter is connected to Nationwide Children's operator