How to use an interpreter in a video visit
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Patients with limited English have the right to a qualified interpreter. Good interpreter use improves safety and trust.
Step by step
Use a qualified interpreter
Use a trained medical interpreter, not family members or children. [1]
Set up the call
Add the interpreter before the visit starts and check that all can see and hear. [1]
Brief the interpreter
Share the goal of the visit and any sensitive topics. [1]
Speak to the patient
Look at the patient and speak in first person, as if no interpreter is there. [1]
Use short sentences
Pause often so the interpreter can translate accurately. [2]
Check understanding
Use teach-back through the interpreter. [2]
Document the care
Record the interpreter's name or ID and the language. [1]
Common errors
- Using a family member to interpret.
- Talking to the interpreter instead of the patient.
- Long speeches without pauses.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- HHS, telehealth.hhs.gov best practices
- AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)
Facts and steps follow HHS, telehealth.hhs.gov best practices. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.