The number of non-English speakers in the United States continues to rise. Per the 2011 Census, over 60 million US residents speak a language other than English at home, and have limited or no proficiency in English. Couple this fact with increased pressure from the Federal Government on healthcare providers to provide equal care to limited English speakers, and it’s clear that language barriers are a major issue affecting hospitals across the nation.
When a friend or family member is used as an interpreter, there is a large risk for mistakes and miscommunication. Professional language services improve the communication between providers and patients therefore improving the patient experience. Many studies have shown that the use of professional interpreters also has a significant impact on reducing readmission rates.
Over the past several years, healthcare networks have taken a serious interest in the availability and effectiveness of the language service options they provide. Language service providers such as Interpreters and Translators, Inc.(iTi), with headquarters in Connecticut and a nationwide reach, have collaborated closely with hospitals across the nation to develop a strong program for serving diverse communities.
iTi works with hospitals to develop a full language access solution so they are prepared to address all patient needs. Interpreting options include: in person interpreting for patient appointments, over the phone interpreting for scheduling and service, and video remote interpreting as a convenient solution for emergencies. Document translation is available for patient forms, outreach material, brochures, etc. All services are available in over 200 languages across the nation.
While the services discussed are a phenomenal solution for working with diverse communities, many hospitals employ a wide range of bilingual individuals who would enjoy being able to use their language skills in their healthcare career.
However, healthcare providers should not allow providers to act as an interpreter or provide care in a second language until they can verify their language skills and fluency in the language/s other than English.
That is when the interpreter testing and training solution comes into play. iTi schedules regular language assessments for hospitals bilingual staff who express interest in becoming a trained interpreter. The language assessment measures a baseline of fluency which is decided between the iTi and hospital teams.
Those individuals who pass the assessment then attend a 40-hour medical interpreting training. This workshop provides them the foundation to become a professional medical interpreter. The workshop is heavily based around exercises to demonstrate and practice real life situations. Attendees learn national standard interpreting protocols, interpreting ethics, medical terminology, cultural competence, and much more. By the end of the training, attendees are ready to serve as interpreters in a medical setting.
iTi is proud to work with industry leaders such as Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, Hartford Hospital, among others. Healthcare treatments can be complicated and emotional enough when all parties speak the same language. All patients, no matter their language or country of origin, deserve equal and effective healthcare. We are proud to work with hospitals to ensure that no one goes untreated!
About Interpreters & Translators, Inc.
With thousands of clients worldwide that rely on our high quality and extremely responsive service, Interpreters & Translators, Inc. provides multicultural language solutions in over 250 languages. We pride ourselves on personal service with a smile, flexibility, and custom solutions for each client. Our passion is facilitating communication between multilingual communities globally.. Interpreters & Translators, Inc. employs a Quality Management System that is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is also ASTM F3130 certified. For more information, please visit our website at www.ititranslates.com
