New Web-based Translation Tool Helps Obtain Vital Medical Data from Language Challenged Patients
Deming, NM (PRWEB) March 24, 2016 -- A doctor needs vital medical data from a patient who barely speaks his language. A frantic hunt takes place looking for a staff member who can translate, or perhaps the assistance of a grandchild is enlisted. Sometimes a translator service is used over the phone. Its a drama that plays out again and again in clinics, emergency rooms and pre-op areas around the world. LanguageMed.com now offers a free, web-based service to help solve this problem.
“I felt that this was a problem that cried out for a computerized solution” remarked Brian Stanton M.D., the Anesthesiologist who first conceived the tool.
Available round the clock, LanguageMed.com runs on any web browser, (laptops, tablets, even phones) to obtain detailed medical data from patients in their own language, and then summarizes the pertinent positives in the staff's language.
Tanya Sokolsky, System Architect and Chief Developer for LanguageMed.com points out that “the system is useful for patient's who speak the staff's language as well! It helps ensure that all the important questions are asked and saves time for staff.”
A computer questionnaire offers numerous advantages over a paper questionnaire.
1. Translation – Choose the staff's language and the patient's language. Any two languages can be paired eg French physician with Korean patient (or vice versa). Current languages include Arabic, Chinese, English, Filipino, French, German, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.
2. Summary – Medical staff get an immediate report of the pertinent positives in their native language, as well as some useful calculations (BMI, PONV risk, Cardiac risk, OSA risk).
3. No blank or skipped questions.
4. Questions can branch – a positive answer leads to more detailed questions on that subject. Questions are filtered based on gender, age etc.
5. Accessibility – Font size is adjustable for patient's with poor vision.
Medical staffs are pressed to save time and money these days. LanguageMed.com is available 24/7, as close as a nearby laptop or tablet. Although not a replacement for translators, the system can get most of the standard questions out of the way so more efficient use can be made of the translator's time.
Administrative personnel will want to know that LanguageMed.com is HIPAA compliant, using encryption for all communication with the server, and never requests any patient identifying information. The system is designed with 6Sigma principles in mind, helping to improve quality and efficiency. Reports can simply be read right from the laptop or tablet or printed out on a nearby printer. Administrator's who want to see if their staff are utilizing LanguageMed.com can easily track staff usage and statistics.
LanguageMed.com hopes its product will improve safety, compliance with governmental regulation and help improve the perception of facilities in their community.
Developed by Britan Inc., LanguageMed.com is being offered as a free online service. The system currently offers questionnaires designed for the pre-op environment, the general medical clinic scenario, MRI suite, and the new Preoperative Score to Predict Postoperative Mortality (POSPOM). New questionnaires are in active development as well as translations in additional languages (a Dental/Orthodontic questionnaire is coming soon). Facilities may also elect to use LanguageMed.com on a subscription basis which eliminates advertisements and allows them to use their own branding.
Brian Stanton, [email protected], https://languagemed.com, +1 (316) 573-2021, [email protected]
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