Direct Need for Video Remote Interpreting in American Healthcare Facilities
It’s late, you just got off work and you are welcomed home by stumbling over your sister unconscious and unresponsive on the kitchen floor. The second you get to the hospital you are flooded with questions; what happened, did your sister take anything, past medical history… Everything is moving so fast and as soon as you open your mouth, you realize that the doctors and medical staff are looking at you clueless, they can not understand the language you are speaking and right now accurate communication is essential in figuring out what is wrong with your sister. The medical staff rush her through a set of massive doors and as the doors are closing quickly behind them you start blaming yourself for not being able to give the doctors the information they need to help your sister because you can’t speak English.
This is an example of a situation encountered on a regular basis during interactions between limited English proficient (LEP) patients and medical staff in many different medical settings. Improvement of effective communication strategies needs to be implemented within all healthcare facilities as our country grows in population and culture. The increasingly diverse patient populations are making it harder for medical staff to care for LEP patients adequately due to language barriers. Acquiring a partnership with a reputable language service provider and letting them provide you with a well-rounded language access plan that includes incorporating video remote interpreting (VRI) services into your medical facility will allow your staff to effectively communicate with LEP patients in a cost effective way.
Video Remote Interpreting Services In the Field of Healthcare
There are many occasions and various medical settings in which implications caused by language barriers can be easily remedied by the incorporation of video remote interpreting services. Video remote interpreting (VRI) plays a valuable role in facilitating accurate communication within the healthcare industry when other services are too costly or not an option due to location or language needed. VRI is a video telecommunication service that uses a sophisticated web-based platform to provide sign language or spoken language interpreting services. Many healthcare facilities provide very limited interpreting services or no services at all and in this current age of technology there is no reason why healthcare providers should fall behind on patient care due to language barriers. VRI services can help to effectively treat and care for LEP patients in a more convenient way now that everyone has access to computers, tablets and smartphones the service is readily available for use despite location or time. Language service providers such as Niki’s Int’l Ltd. understands that having an in-house interpreter or having an on-site interpreter sent out to a location is not always the best option for your needs, so they offer video remote interpreting services that can fulfill all your interpretation needs with ease and convenience. Video remote interpreting allows people to connect with an interpreter despite their location, time zone or specific language or dialect needed. Niki’s Int’l Ltd. has a network of linguists who are available in over 350 languages and dialects via VRI and they ensure that you’re connected with a an interpreter that is appropriate for your specific interpretation needs within five minutes or less using their on-demand service.
Healthcare Facilities That Benefit from Utilizing Video Remote Interpreting Services
- Hospitals
- Doctor’s Offices
- Dental Offices
- Surgical Centers
- Nursing Homes
- Urgent Care Clinics
Advantages of Video Remote Interpreting Services Provided by Niki’s Int’l Ltd.
- Access to trained and certified interpreters at anytime of the day or night within 5 minutes using the on-demand portal.
- VRI allows you to communicate in sign language when interacting with deaf or hard of hearing patients and helps you to meet ADA law requirements which state that you must provide language resources free of charge to patients when needed.
- Video remote interpreting is conducted in real time and communication is available instantly without the need to be face to face with your interpreter.
- VRI connects people despite remote locations or low-demand languages.
- Increased efficiency and a reduction of patient danger due to miscommunication when using the aid of a professional and trained interpreter through the use of video remote interpretation services.
How are Video Remote Interpreting Services Cost Effective?
One of the factors that plays a substantial role in the price of on-site interpretation is the rising cost of travel. Gas prices and travel time are included in the cost when hiring an interpreter for an on-site interpretation session, when using VRI there is no charge for gas or travel time. Without having to be face to face to conduct the interpretation, your health care facility will save money when using required interpretation services by not having to pay for mileage or drive time.
Another reason why video remote interpreting services are more cost effective is because you are only paying for the actual time spent with the interpreter as opposed to an industry standard of paying a two hour minimum regardless of the time spent with the interpreter. Not paying for transportation costs or unused time can really benefit your health care facility in saving money when it comes to implementing your language access plan. VRI is a service that will allow your healthcare facility to not only provide quality and accurate patient care to LEP individuals but it also allows your facility to be compliant with the law by providing meaningful access to all individuals by allowing them language assistance services when requested in medical settings.
Implementation of Interpretation Services is Now the Law
Today, being prepared to communicate with every patient who walks through the door speaking a different language is simply not an option, there is no way for medical staff to know what language or dialect their next patient will speak. These persistent language barriers allow room for error due to poor communication between the medical staff and the patient. Proper diagnosis and treatment relies on doctors’ and patients’ ability to understand each other. Efforts are being made to lessen the risk of poor patient care due to language barriers, Title VI guidance memorandum was issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Civil Rights. Title VI states that the denial or delay of medical care for patients with limited English proficiency due to language barriers constitutes a form of discrimination and requires facilities that accept Medicaid or Medicare to provide adequate language assistance services when needed.
Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is a WBENC-Certified Women Business Enterprise with 20 years of language service experience. A global network of highly skilled translators and interpreters are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for on-site, telephonic and video remote interpretation services. Our linguists are available in over 350 languages and dialects, and our network includes certified translators and interpreters. Our work is guaranteed with a $1 Million Errors & Omissions policy, so that you can be confident that your project will be completed with the highest level of quality and professionalism within the field. For more information contact us at 1-877-567-8449 or visit our website at www.nilservices.com.