Language interpretation services can help you reach minority communities and boost your presence in the medical field. Read on to learn how and why this is the case.

Healthcare Specific Interpretation

Native speakers of any language inevitably know technical jargon and slang that second-language learners do not. This means that they’ll know specific terminology within the healthcare industry regardless of whether they work in it or not.

They will know the legitimate names for various treatments, problems, operations, and diseases. Second-language learners would need to describe these concepts in different terms. These terms may get the point across, but they also may not be specific enough for issues as important as those in the medical sector.

Quality language services deploy experts and technology with the fluency needed to communicate effectively. A healthcare-specific interpretation service is more essential than one that simply employs generic interpreters. It’s the job of healthcare interpreters to know everything about communicating in the target language within medical facilities.

Effective Patient Communication

The quality of patient care suffers without good communication. Misdiagnosis becomes more common. People are more likely to be prescribed the wrong treatments.

This is against the mission of doctors and other medical professionals. Your healthcare practice exists to help and treat people of all backgrounds.

It also could create legal issues. You don’t want to be slammed with a medical malpractice lawsuit. This is especially true since language translation services could solve the problem effectively.

Health Services Research has conducted studies on the exact ways that medical practice language interpretation services improve care quality. They found that better communication leads to:

• Overall better care across all medical facility types
• Improved clinical care and treatments
• Generally lower readmission rates (and greater long-term patient health)
• Fewer communication problems that lead to misdiagnosis
• Patients making more informed treatment choices
• Better follow-up care and treatments because patients better understand their needs

Your care quality will go up, patients will be less stressed out, and you can ensure that you meet all medical industry requirements and oaths.

Telehealth Language Services and Options

82% of mental health treatment has taken place over remote telehealth platforms. 43% of Americans say that they like this format and will continue using it in a post-pandemic world if possible.

Mental healthcare is not the only type of treatment to take place over telehealth. Routine check-ins for physical health issues can also happen on a video call. You will still need in-person meetings for physical examinations and treatment assessments, but telehealth is good for check-ins.

Telehealth services require a different form of language interpretation than on-site interpreters offer. Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) is a modern solution.

This third-party interpreter joins in on a telehealth call and translates for both the provider and patient in real time. This makes remote healthcare meetings easier.

VRI professionals also can help with in-person meetings between patients and providers. The patient pulls the interpreter up on-screen. Then, the patient hears the doctor while watching the interpreter. Communication barriers lessen.

Improving Written Communication

The healthcare industry is filled with a lot of paperwork and legal documents. This documentation isn’t just technical. It also describes important treatments, procedures, and operations that the patient must give informed consent to.

In fact, failing to translate important medical documents is a violation of the law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care act states that failing to provide adequate translation qualifies as discrimination in the medical field. You may find yourself with a medical malpractice lawsuit if you don’t invest in medical translation.

Professional translators can help you ensure that you translate the ins and outs of every document. Quality teams have experience in the medical field and know how to get any point across in their target language. You won’t need to worry about providing poor-quality care or getting slapped with a legal problem.

Streamlined Medical Operations

Speaking of lawsuits, using the right translation platform can prevent one in multiple areas. CommGap’s interpreting services only employ HIPAA-compliant interpreters.

These interpreters are fully qualified and/or certified to perform in-person, VRI, and over-the-phone services. They’re accessible through both landline and mobile devices, which means that you will never be left without a translator.

This streamlines your daily life because you can access services anywhere at any time. Patients can, too. There won’t be any guesswork when it comes to understanding treatments or filling out paperwork.

Written translations are also heavily streamlined. CommGap uses and is certified in the most recent ISO 17100:2015 standards. This certification means that we have approved, high-quality customer service and better translations.

You’ll be able to feel more secure when giving out medical advice and administering assistance. Patients will be less stressed out because they will always have a clear understanding of their diagnoses. This means that your medical practice can run more efficiently.

Get Started With Quality Language Interpretation Services

While reaching minority communities can be a challenge, it’s critical in the medical field. After all, you will need to perform treatments and assist people of multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Language interpretation services make this possible.

Now that you know how to extend your reach, it’s time to get started. CommGap is committed to bridging the gap between people who speak diverse languages so that healthcare providers can best communicate with each other and with patients. Contact us with any remaining questions and begin using top-notch medical practice language services.

Believe it or not, “[o]ne of the first experiments with remote interpreting took place in 1976 when the UNESCO organized its General Assembly in Nairobi. The interpreters, however, were asked to work from Paris, which was connected to the capital city of [Kenya] through a satellite connection [that] provided an audio-video connection quality equal to that of a standard TV broadcast.”¹ Since those early days, virtual remote interpreting (VRI) has certainly come a long way. Today, in fact, due to advances in technology, a rise in globalization — and, along with it, global digitalization — VRI is accessible across platforms and used across industries.

In recent years, VRI has grown in popularity. In fact, a 2018 survey financed by the European Commission compared “remote interpreting 一 both video (VRI) and telephonic (OPI ) 一 with onsite interpreting from a variety of perspectives.”² The survey focused on language services providers (LSPs) and their end clients in Italy, Spain, and the UK, and the findings speak for themselves.

Data Source: Slator³ (original source, Shift Project⁴)

But VRI isn’t just growing in popularity in Europe. Here, in the United States, several industries are now turning to VRI. In fact, according to Statista, in 2012 the market size for remote interpreting⁵ rang in at roughly USD 660 million. By 2019, this jumped to USD 1.2 billion. And, since the onset (and continuation) of COVID-19, the market size for VRI will likely continue to increase. To put this into clearer perspective, one need only look at Zoom. As one of the most popular online platforms that offers a virtual interpreting function, Zoom saw revenues skyrocket 169 percent⁶ since the beginning of 2020. Whether because of safety concerns during the latest pandemic, the ease of use and considerable cost savings, or increased language and interpreter availability, those in need of interpreting are turning toward VRI.

The Many Benefits to Investing in VRI

In-person interpreting, although ideal in many situations, often requires complex interpreter scheduling and travel arrangements, along with associated costs. Depending on the location that the in-person interpreter is needed, limited language availability might also pose a problem. As the United States — and the world — becomes more linguistically and culturally diverse, VRI allows users to connect to a much larger pool of international interpreters with a wide range of subject matter expertise. And, with no hourly “minimum” and no travel or accommodation expenses, the cost savings alone often places VRI as a top choice for those in need of interpreting services.

The measurable benefits to investing in VRI are manifold. For unplanned events or emergency situations alone, interpreters can be reached within seconds using VRI technology. VRI’s flexibility across devices (as well as its simplified integration with several apps) is another great advantage. Whether one (or several) people cannot be present in the same location (or at the same time), VRI seamlessly connects all interested parties via iPhones, iPads, desktops, and laptops. Another game changer is VRI’s ability to work with almost all virtual platforms be that Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business or any other. Essentially all that is required includes a computer or iOS device and an internal or external web camera.

How VRI Supports A Growing Number of Industries

Healthcare and Insurance

Emergency rooms across the United States receive nearly 136 million patient visits per year.⁷ If we consider that approximately 8 percent of the total US population identifies as limited-English proficient (LEP),⁸ this translates to almost 27 million annual ER visits from the nation’s LEP patient population. Healthcare workers often need to work swiftly to meet the needs of their patients, but when a language barrier interrupts communication, problems can quickly escalate. By investing in VRI solutions, however, patients with LEP can receive the support they need from completing intake documents to communicating clearly with medical personnel. And, when hospitals invest in VRI, they have the potential to significantly reduce lengths of stay (LOS) and decrease the number of 30-day readmissions.⁹ These measured, tangible results ultimately lead to improved patient satisfaction and improved patient outcomes.

Education

In the state of California alone, 21 percent of students identify as English learners (ELs). In fact, ELs account for roughly 10 percent of all public school students in the United States.¹⁰ VRI can be especially beneficial for schools located in rural areas that either lack the required number of professional interpreters or require support for rare languages. Whether for educational lessons, parent-teacher meetings, or school events, VRI has become an essential tool to ensure all EL students receive equal access to education. VRI also enables the limited-English proficient (LEP) parent population to receive all necessary information in a language they understand.

Banking and Finance

As the US population continues to grow, customer support lines and call centers are now serving a growing number of LEP customers. For this very reason, VRI is becoming a popular service for the banking and financial sectors. VRI helps these institutions expand their reach by communicating in their customers’ preferred languages. Professional interpreters with financial expertise adhere to strict confidentiality mandates and offer an intimate understanding of compliance and data security regulations across countries. And, since the world of finance is well known for its complex, industry-specific vocabulary, interpreters with financial expertise can greatly improve the customer experience. From business loans to applying for a mortgage, customers require clear, effective, unambiguous communication.

Business

The many benefits of VRI have certainly not been lost to the business world. With many events now serving the globe, VRI is ideal for remote conferences (eConferences), facilitating multilingual communication for both speakers and attendees. When compared to in-person conference interpreting services, VRI offers greater flexibility, less administrative burdens, and reduced overall costs without compromising the quality of the interpreting or the integrity of the event.

CommGap — Bespoke VRI Solutions

Subject Matter Experts

It goes without saying that linguists with subject matter expertise are key to ensuring a smooth, coherent interpretation experience for all. At CommGap, our interpreters work in specialty fields with the relevant experience necessary to meet — and exceed — your expectations. They have undergone extensive training and participate in continued upskilling that reach far and beyond industry standards.

Cultural Competence

As the world becomes increasingly more global, interpreters with cultural competence offer much more than linguistic and industry-specific expertise. Since culturally competent interpreters are intimately familiar with the customs and traditions of a specific geographical location, they help to accurately convey a speaker’s meaning while also paying particular attention to the speaker’s nonverbal cues. That is why CommGap offers extensive and ongoing cultural sensitivity training to its globally positioned full-time employees and contracted interpreters.

Customized Solutions

At CommGap, we know every client is unique. That is why we focus on flexibility and create intelligent solutions tailored to your specific needs. As an ISO 17100:2015-certified company, CommGap offers 24/7/365 language services with an easy-to-use, highly secure web portal. And, with CommGap ConnectⓇ, our proprietary app, our clients can reach video or audio interpreters within seconds. Whether for scheduled, frequent, or last-minute interpreting needs, audio, video, or both, CommGap has you covered.

At CommGap, we offer VRI services in over 200 languages along with a team of highly skilled and vetted linguists specialized across industries. For over 20 years, CommGap has been providing our clients in the healthcare, education, legal, financial, and business sectors with bespoke language solutions  — and our VRI solutions are certainly no exception. By partnering with CommGap for your virtual remote interpreting needs, we’ll help you eliminate unnecessary backlogs and improve efficiency.

Leverage your existing resources. Focus on your core competencies. Partner with CommGap today.

REFERENCES

1 Ziegler, Klaus, and Sebastiano Gigliobianco. “Present? Remote? Remotely Present! New Technological Approaches to Remote Simultaneous Conference Interpreting.” Zenodo, 21 Nov. 2018, https://zenodo.org/record/1493299#.YXc1rBrMKUk.

2, 3 Features ·by Esther BondOn January 15, et al. “Remote Interpretation Survey Examines Demand, Pricing, and Buyer Behaviour.” Slator, 15 Jan. 2019, https://slator.com/remote-interpretation-survey-examines-demand-pricing-and-buyer-behaviour/.

4 “Remote Interpreting Services: Future or Present? Results of a Market Survey in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.” SHIFT, 17 Apr. 2018, https://www.shiftinorality.eu/en/resources/2018/04/17/remote-interpreting-services-future-or-present-results-market-survey-italy.

5 Published by Statista Research Department, and Nov 4. “U.S. over-the-Phone & Video Interpreting Market Size 2019.” Statista, 4 Nov. 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/950008/over-the-phone-interpreting-market-size-united-states/.

6 Iyengar, Rishi. “Zoom’s Revenue Soars 169% as People Flock to Service during Pandemic.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 June 2020, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/02/tech/zoom-earnings-coronavirus/index.html.

7 “Emergency Room Visit Statistics: The Emergency Center: ER.” The Emergency Center, 22 Oct. 2021, https://www.theemergencycenter.com/emergency-room-visit/.

8 Dews, Fred. “Six Questions about the Limited English Proficient (LEP) Workforce.” Brookings, Brookings, 29 July 2016, https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2014/09/24/six-questions-about-the-limited-english-proficient-lep-workforce/.

9 Lindholm, Mary, et al. “Professional Language Interpretation and Inpatient Length of Stay and Readmission Rates.” Journal of General Internal Medicine, Springer-Verlag, Oct. 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445680/.

10 Bialik, Kristen, et al. “6 Facts about English Language Learners in U.S. Public Schools.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 30 May 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/25/6-facts-about-english-language-learners-in-u-s-public-schools/.

There is little debate across industries regarding the power of effective communication. From increased workplace engagement to improvements in collaboration, morale, and overall productivity, everyone wins when we communicate effectively in our personal and professional lives. And when it comes to healthcare, effective communication enhances patient outcomes.

“In one study using six years of data from nearly 3,000 acute care hospitals, researchers determined that communication between caregivers and patients has the largest impact on reducing readmissions. Specifically, the results indicate that a hospital would, on average, reduce its readmission rate by 5% if it were to prioritize patient communication in addition to complying with evidence-based standards of care.”¹

But what happens if your patients don’t speak English? How do you communicate effectively with your limited-English proficient (LEP) patient population? The answer lies in three words — professional healthcare interpreting. By investing in healthcare interpreting, hospitals improve LEP patient outcomes, reduce 30-day readmissions, and shorten the length of hospital stays.

The Benefits of Healthcare Interpreting

Perhaps one of the best known examples of how healthcare interpreting improves patient outcomes was a 3-year study conducted within a US-based tertiary care hospital. The study’s results clearly showed that healthcare interpreting helps to significantly decrease both the length of stay and 30-day readmission rates for the LEP patient population.

Data Source: US National Library of Medicine²

In fact, the study showed that LEP patients who did not receive healthcare interpreting services had an average increase in their length of stay of 1.11 days and an average increase in their 30-day readmission by almost 39 percent. At the best of times, healthcare interpreting improves patient outcomes, and in emergencies, this service can literally help to save lives.

The Critical Need for Healthcare Interpreting During COVID-19

At the time of this publication, COVID-19 is once again wreaking havoc throughout the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are classifying the entire country (except for a choice few states) as having high community transmission³. Hospitals throughout the nation are once again filled (or rapidly filling) to capacity and are in desperate need of assistance. Not only are healthcare workers struggling to keep up with the daily influx of COVID-19 patients, but in a country with a growing limited-English proficient (LEP) population⁴, medical staff urgently need healthcare interpreting services to help save lives. One need look no further than the recent 2020 Census to see how the nation’s demographics are becoming increasingly more diverse, heightening concerns about language access for LEP patients.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity and its Impact on Healthcare

The federal government uses the Diversity Index (DI) to “measure the probability that two people chosen at random will be from different race and ethnicity groups.”⁵ In 2010, the average DI index throughout the country was 54.9 percent. In 2020, this jumped to a probability of 61.1 percent. To put this into clearer focus, the United States is now home to roughly 67 million residents who speak a language other than English (LOTE) at home and nearly 30 million residents who struggle when communicating in English. In such a linguistically and culturally diverse nation, healthcare interpreting must be an active and ongoing service available throughout the country even outside of public health crises. But, as the U.S. News puts it, “[t]he coronavirus pandemic is intensifying language access issues in healthcare — problems that could be putting both patients and interpreters, as well as the broader public, at risk.”⁶

Thankfully, with a growing number of interpreting options now available, healthcare facilities throughout the nation can operate in compliance with language access laws and ensure patients’ rights are protected. But how do healthcare facilities decide which form of interpreting to use — in-person, over-the-phone, or virtual remote interpreting (VRI)? Although all three options provide a much needed service with plenty of benefits, the choice is often assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Types of Healthcare Interpreting

In-person Interpreting

Before the onset of COVID-19, in-person interpreting was certainly the preferred method of healthcare interpreting services. In fact, it still is for a great many reasons. The ability to be physically present with the healthcare provider and the patient allows the interpreter to have both visual and auditory proximity. It also provides the interpreter the opportunity to pick up on facial expressions and body language. By its very nature, in-person interpreting also strengthens trust with the patient which can lead to better overall communication.

Over-the-phone Interpreting

Over-the-phone is one popular alternative to in-person interpreting, especially when hospitals limit the number of patient visitors. Since phones are almost always readily available, hospitals, regardless of their location, can seamlessly — and quickly — connect to a much larger pool of interpreters, including interpreters who specialize in rare languages. And, in times of public health crises, this is certainly a very welcomed service. Nonetheless, it is important for healthcare providers and patients alike to consider the lack of visibility which could negatively impact the interpreting experience for all.

Virtual Remote Interpreting

Virtual Remote Interpreting (VRI) is a quickly emerging technology that a growing number of healthcare facilities are now embracing. Ideal for times such as these, VRI is economical, relatively easy to use, and provides almost immediate access to a global network of healthcare interpreters specializing in hundreds of languages. With VRI, all parties can clearly see and hear one another. And although remote, the interpreter can still look for facial expressions as well as body language to gauge a better understanding of how the patient is feeling.

Language Access in Healthcare — Executive Order 13166

In addition to the desire for healthcare facilities to provide the highest level of medical care for all patients, there is another reason to invest in healthcare interpreting. Executive Order 13166, otherwise known as “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency”, went into effect in 2020. The order requires any agency receiving federal funds to provide meaningful language access to LEP recipients of any federally-funded service. Since almost 40 percent of Americans are covered by a public health insurance plan⁷, and since the vast majority of hospitals throughout the United States receive federal funding (at least in part), it is incumbent upon healthcare facilities to comply with the law.

CommGap Specializes in Healthcare Interpreting

With a team of in-house and global employees as well as an extensive network of contracted healthcare interpreters, CommGap offers in-person, over-the-phone, and virtual remote interpreting in over 200 languages. Available 24/7/365, our linguists are specialists in their respective fields, are fully HIPAA-compliant, and undergo ongoing, rigorous industry-specific and cultural-sensitivity training.

As we strive to provide the highest-level of flexible, customizable language solutions to our clients, CommGap offers you the ability to schedule appointments in advance or simply contact us for any last-minute, urgent needs. Our convenient proprietary app, CommGap Connect® will connect you to a healthcare interpreter within seconds. When you want a seamless, end-to-end process for your healthcare interpreting needs, turn to CommGap.

You focus on your patients. We’ll handle the interpreting.

REFERENCES

1 Psqh. “Communication: A Critical Healthcare Competency.” Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare, 19 Dec. 2017, www.psqh.com/analysis/communication-critical-healthcare-competency/.

2 Lindholm, Mary, et al. “Professional Language Interpretation and Inpatient Length of Stay and Readmission Rates.” Journal of General Internal Medicine, Springer-Verlag, Oct. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445680/.

3 “CDC COVID Data Tracker.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community.

4 Griffith, Bryan. “Almost Half Speak a Foreign Language in America’s Largest Cities.” CIS.org, 19 Sept. 2018, cis.org/Report/Almost-Half-Speak-Foreign-Language-Americas-Largest-Cities.

5 Bureau, US Census. “Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United STATES: 2010 Census and 2020 Census.” Census.gov, 12 Aug. 2021, www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/racial-and-ethnic-diversity-in-the-united-states-2010-and-2020-census.html.

6 “Language Access Issues during Covid-19 Are Proving Dangerous for Some.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-04-16/language-access-problems-a-barrier-during-covid-19-pandemic.

7 “A Visit to the Doctor’s Office: How the U.s. Government Keeps Americans Safe and Healthy.” House Budget Committee Democrats, 25 Mar. 2020, budget.house.gov/publications/report/visit-doctors-office-how-us-government-keeps-americans-safe-and-healthy.