We are proud to serve one of the most diverse and culturally rich communities in the country. We are continually looking for ways to enhance our extraordinary patient experience and we are thrilled to announce a renewed focus on our language services.
We are very excited to have several different language services options available at both Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital to assist patients and visitors with understanding and asking questions about their health care. Interpretation services are specific to spoken languages.
Professional interpreters
Patients or visitors can request the assistance of an interpreter when they arrive for their appointment through the unit secretary.
In-person interpreters
A professional Mandarin and Cantonese speaking interpreter is available at Markham Stouffville Hospital to assist with immediate interpretation needs Monday to Friday. This interpreter provides interpretation for clinical or medical services including helping to understand a diagnosis, discharge instruction, or requirements for a medical procedure. In-person interpreters in different languages may also be organized through your hospital teams.
Real-time interpreters
Medical interpreters in over 240 languages, including Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, and Indigenous languages such as Cree and Ojibway, are available 24/7 using the Voyce app in the hospital. Voyce is a software-based company that connects health care providers with real-time medical interpreters through video to effectively communicate with patients in their preferred language. These interpreters are empathy trained and qualified medical language interpreters to ensure precise and safe interpretation.
Sign language interpreters
Sign language interpreters are available through the hospital real-time video remote interpretation service or in-person by appointment. If you need a sign language interpreter, please inform a staff member so we can provide one for you. We are proud to offer these services to ensure an extraordinary patient experience to everyone who comes to our hospitals.
Volunteer language interpreters
Volunteer language interpreters are also available at Markham Stouffville Hospital for patients and visitors to assist with non-medical interpretation. Patients and visitors can ask if there is a volunteer interpreter available, in their requested language, to help with way-finding or appointment booking. Patients can request a volunteer language interpreter at Registration when they arrive or ask the unit secretary at their appointment. The availability of volunteer interpreters and different languages spoken is based on volunteer schedules.