Diana Irvine-Mejia understands how important it is to have an advocate in the health care system, especially as an immigrant in a new country. For her, it is more than simply interpreting conversations. According to Diana, “We are advocates and cultural brokers. We make sure patients can freely communicate and get the best care they deserve. I help patients in many ways, that include interpreting for them in all the interactions from the beginning to the end of their visit to our clinic; helping them understand and filling out paperwork; or assisting them with scheduling appointments for specialized care at outside facilities; and supporting the medical staff by informing patients about the programs we offer to access medical care at a lower cost or no cost at all.”
From being a Psychologist in Colombia to working as an interpreter in Washington state and everything in between, one thing has remained constant, her passion to help others regardless of what job position she holds. Interpreting was not necessarily in the cards, but it became clear that was what she wanted to do after deciding to re-invent herself and use her experience and talents to start a new profession in this new chapter of her life. “I knew that I wanted to work in the health care field and help the Hispanic population struggling in a new culture and the difficulties with the language barrier in a complex healthcare system” she said. Diana wanted to be that bridge for others so no one else would experience what she went through.
HealthPoint came into the picture after she and her husband moved from Missouri to the Seattle area. Once settled, Diana wanted to volunteer her time at a health care organization. She researched several clinics in the area and came upon HealthPoint where she later got a job as an Interpreter. She was drawn to the organization because “it was like the hospitals I worked for in Colombia but on a smaller scale. I was thrilled to learn about the integrative and multidisciplinary approach to patient’s health and how large the Latino population they serve is.”
For Diana, one of the most rewarding experiences as an Interpreter at HealthPoint has been, “working with the health care team and diabetic patients. We held group meetings to teach them about diabetes and help them understand how to introduce changes to their diet without sacrificing the food they enjoy and grow up eating. Respecting their culture was especially important to us. With some of these patients, we formed walking groups, and it was rewarding to see them active and building relationships with other patients and families.”
Learn more about Diana and her life as an interpreter in the video below.