Seattle, WA (PRWEB) October 11, 2016 -- InDemand Interpreting, a technology-enabled language services performance improvement company and a leading video remote interpreting (VRI) provider within Healthcare, announced a new partnership with Providence Health & Services to provide on-demand translation support in Providence’s 20 Express Care clinics located in Oregon and Washington. Providence clinicians will use VRI to expand access to high-quality care by improving patient-provider communications.
The United States health care environment is becoming increasingly more diverse. Its facilities are challenged with providing quality care to patients of different backgrounds and ethnicities, often citing language as a barrier when trying to provide care and services to diverse populations (1). VRI gives providers instant access to medically qualified and certified interpreters in more than 200 languages, including American Sign Language, helping to improve understanding of a patient’s symptoms and care needs.
“Being unable to communicate with the people delivering your care can cause feelings of vulnerability, mistrust and uncertainty,” said Sunita Mishra, M.D., Medical Director of Innovation at Providence. “Understanding our patients and being able to communicate with them allows caregivers to provide the highest quality of care and our patients the comfort and convenience that help make a medical experience more positive. VRI allows us to bridge communication gaps, better evaluate a patient’s condition, and ultimately, deliver more compassionate care.”
VRI can increase Providence’s ability to provide care and support to patients who are considered limited English proficient (LEP). It’s estimated that more than 25 million LEP people live in the U.S., with signs indicating continued growth in the future (2). As the population increases and the U.S. healthcare environment becomes more diverse, the need for translation services is critical to ensure all patients, regardless of language, receive the highest quality of care.
“Providence is committed to providing high-quality care to every individual, especially to those who are poor and vulnerable, and who otherwise may avoid medical care due to language barriers,” said Dr. Mishra. “We see patients every day who benefit from our ability to communicate effectively with them. VRI allows us to better serve the needs of a growing, diverse population.”
With VRI, health care providers get instant, safe and secure access to interpreters, decreasing the risk of miscommunication between patients, family and providers, improving diagnostic confidence, and lowering overall healthcare costs. The web-based video conferencing technology can be used on portable devices including laptops and touch screens, bringing advanced care from admissions to bedside, to rehabilitation to home.
“InDemand is proud to partner with Providence to ensure that medical conversations are more effective and patients receive the highest quality of care regardless of language barriers, cultural background or disabilities,” said InDemand Interpreting Chairman and CEO Cecil Kost.
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1492142/
(2) http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/limited-english-proficient-population-united-states
About InDemand Interpreting
InDemand Interpreting was founded in 2007 with the vision of ensuring that every patient receives the highest quality healthcare, regardless of language, cultural background or disability. By delivering the most experienced medical interpreters and highest quality video technology InDemand Interpreting provides doctors, nurses and clinicians the language access they need to provide the best possible care. Visit InDemand at http://www.indemandinterpreting.com
Providence Health & Services
http://www..providence.org/pages/default.aspx [Providence Health & Services __title__ ] is a not-for-profit Catholic health care ministry committed to providing for the needs of the communities it serves – especially for those who are poor and vulnerable. Providence's services include 34 hospitals, 600 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing and many other health and educational services. The health system and its affiliates employ more than 82,000 people across five states – Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington – with its system office located in Renton, Washington. In 2015, Providence provided more than $951 million in community benefit. Providence Health & Services continues a tradition of caring that the Sisters of Providence began nearly 160 years ago.
Casey Zanetti, Indemand Interpreting, http://www.indemandinterpreting.com, +1 (206) 508-3040, [email protected]
SOURCE Indemand Interpreting
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