Imagine traveling to a foreign country and falling ill after eating something your Western digestive system doesn’t agree with. You battle through the chills and feel faint. Just getting to the hospital is a challenge because you don’t speak the local language. After making it to the hospital, you find that all the medical staff speaks another language. Plus, nobody seems to understand a word you’re saying. Sadly, this scenario isn’t just a question of “imagine that”, but rather a reality for many limited English proficient (LEP) and Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the United States. And this is where video remote interpretations in healthcare really come in handy.
Video Remote Interpretations in Healthcare
The COVID-19 crisis helped the world realize that interpretation isn’t a service dependent on physical presence. In fact, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) has been on the rise over the last couple of years. And the demand for video remote interpreting skyrocketed with the outbreak of the global health crisis.
Although hospital systems traditionally relied on on-site interpreters, VRI is now one of America’s fastest-growing language services within the healthcare industry. Why? Because it effectively bridges the gap between telephonic and on-site interpreting services. Video Remote Interpreting is a safe and effective way for healthcare practitioners to communicate with limited English-speaking and Deaf and hard-hearing patients.
In this post, we’ll be taking a closer look at the benefits of video remote interpretations in healthcare. We’ll also highlight how Video Remote Interpretation in hospitals promotes safe and effective communication between doctors and their patients.
What is VRI?
VRI – Video Remote Interpretation – is a video communication service that relies on devices like cameras or videophones to interpret spoken or sign languages. According to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), hospitals and other healthcare providers must use the services of qualified medical interpreters to ensure the interpreter has a proper understanding of medical terminology and adheres to the Code of Ethics to interpret in healthcare settings.
Video remote interpreting, essentially, is a visual and audio connection to experienced, professional interpreters from anywhere in the world. Video Remote Interpreting is a platform where interpreters deliver a personalized interpreting session without geographic limitations.
The supply of expert interpreters with real-world experience can also be limited at times. But with video remote interpreting, distance isn’t a barrier to quality, timely interpreting services and ensures that healthcare providers have access to the best interpreters out there.
What Are the Benefits of Video Remote Interpretations in Healthcare?
Healthcare organizations that aim to meet the needs of limited English proficient and Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients in the fastest, most effective way possible can utilize VRI because it facilitates the following:
Fast Response for Crisis Situations
VRI is a rapid response solution for spoken languages as well as sign language. Whenever there is an urgent need for medical interpreting, VRI enables you to connect with a qualified medical interpreter in a matter of minutes.
On-Demand Interpreting Services
Healthcare providers deal with emergencies and situations that aren’t planned on a daily basis. And these situations can often call for the use of remote interpreters to meet language support needs. On-demand support gives you access to a medical interpreter when you need it most.
Lower Costs than Traditional Interpreting Services
Conventional on-site interpreting is charged per hour. It also includes additional costs such as travel charges. But VRI can help trim down your interpretation budget while still giving you the benefit of visual support, which is often very helpful in interpreting.
Visual Communication
As mentioned in the previous point, visual support can be highly beneficial for interpreting services. VRI facilitates non-verbal communication, enabling patients to see the facial expressions of the interpreter and allowing the interpreter to discern whether the patients understand what is being said. Unlike telephone interpretation, VRI enhances the interpreting experience. It also ensures that the patient’s point is adequately relayed. Plus, it creates a personal connection between all parties involved, which can help the conversation flow with ease.
Security
Day Interpreting’s secure, online portal ensures that clients have 24/7 access to their data. The secure app also allows healthcare providers to instantly connect with interpreters on the go, which means it’s safer, quicker, and more accessible than ever before to bridge the language gap in hospital settings.
Many Languages in One Place
It’s not uncommon for hospital staff to encounter multiple foreign languages in one day. Although many hospitals employ permanent on-site interpreters, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll have an interpreter on hand for every spoken language within the hospital. But VRI offers an abundance of language options. Healthcare providers have access to all these languages the click of a button. VRI is an ideal solution to cross the language barrier if specific languages aren’t frequently spoken and there is no full-time need for interpretation of the particular language.
Shorter Hospital Stays
This benefit might seem rather odd. But did you know that better communication with LEP patients can shorten hospital stays? Some studies indicate that LEP patients enjoy 6% shorter hospital stays for certain conditions than native English speakers.
When communication is improved, the focus falls solely on care that is delivered more efficiently. This, in turn, reduces individual patient time in the hospital. It’s a snowball effect. Why? Because this also ensures that hospitals cater to more patients and offer more services.
Your Remote Video Interpreting Partner
Whenever a language barrier arises in a healthcare setting, it’s essential for language service providers with extensive experience in the industry. At Day Interpreting, we provide 24/7 support. Our remote language services, like VRI, ensure safety, accuracy, and efficiency. And this is especially important when caring for patients with limited English proficiency and those that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Yes, VRI is especially helpful and potentially life-saving in the healthcare sector. But it isn’t something that’s solely used in the medical industry. Any industry or organization that works with multiple languages and needs interpreting services on an ad hoc basis can benefit from VRI.
For more information on our VRI services, reach out to us today! We’ll show you how beneficial they are to business. We also have a full suite of language services to help you transcend the language and culture barrier! Get in touch with our team of interpreting experts today!
Seldean is a multi-skilled content wizard that dedicates herself to writing content that goes beyond merely sparking interest in the audience.
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