Hospital employs on-demand, online video interpretation service for patients
Language is no barrier for patients seeking care at Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Michigan City, officials say.
The hospital recently employed services of the nationally known Language Access Network, which provides on-demand interpretation of some 200 languages and dialects, via “face-to-face” online video conferencing.
“We went live with the interpreting system, MARTTI LAN, in October 2012. The staff loves the convenience of the equipment and the patients love the capability of seeing their interpreter,” said Mandi Eggert, hospital patient care experience specialist, adding, “Our previous language system was conducted over telephone handsets and the patients could not see the interpreter. We also have quicker access to deaf-interpreting with the new system, because of the video capabilities.”
The network not only serves the main hospital campus, but such offsite facilities as the Chesterton Health and Emergency Center, Franciscan Physician Network offices and Woodland Cancer Care Center, Eggert said, adding Spanish and American Sign Language services so far have been most-requested, while Cantonese, Serbian and Russian also have been provided.
The system also is being considered for implementation at other Franciscan Alliance Northern Indiana Region hospitals.
Trish Weber, Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Michigan City vice president of operations and chief nursing officer, said feedback from patients and staff has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“The MARTTI LAN system is incredible, in that it offers over 200 language interpreters, including sign language, 24hours a day, at the push of a button. The ease of use and access to highly trained interpreters has quickly made the MARTTI a go-to favorite for our medical providers and clinical staff,” Weber explained, adding, “In the past, we would call a health care interpreter via telephone. The lack of a visual connection was a true impedance. More importantly, we have eliminated the delays of contacting sign language interpreters and waiting as they respond to our call for assistance.”