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Effective communication is crucial in healthcare, especially when dealing with patients who face language barriers. Luckily, there are innovative technologies that can support high-quality care to those with limited English proficiency (LEP) or who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. One such technology is called video remote interpreting (VRI). In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of VRI for healthcare professionals and their patients, as well as provide practical tips for making VRI easy and effective.

What is Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)?

VRI is a type of telehealth technology that allows healthcare professionals to communicate with patients who have limited English proficiency or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.  Through a live video feed, the interpreter is able to hear what is being said and provide real-time interpretation to the patient and healthcare professional. VRI can be accessed through a computer, tablet, or mobile device.

Why implement VRI solutions?

Implementing VRI offers many benefits for healthcare professionals and their patients, including:

  • Improved communication: VRI allows for more accurate and effective communication between healthcare professionals and their patients who have LEP or who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
  • Increased accessibility: VRI can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, which makes it easier for patients to receive care, especially in rural or underserved areas.
  • Time and cost savings: VRI reduces travel time for interpreters, which can save healthcare professionals time and money.
  • Improved patient outcomes: By improving communication and accessibility, VRI can help improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

How to make VRI easy for your patients and staff

Provide education and training

Providing education and training to clinical staff on how to use VRI can help reduce anxiety and improve their confidence in using the technology. Some tips for providing education and training include:

  • Providing written instructions and tutorials.
  • Conducting live demonstrations.

Offer technical support

Offering technical support is crucial to ensuring that patients and their healthcare providers are able to use VRI effectively. Healthcare professionals can optimize technical support by:

  • Providing a dedicated support line or email address for staff to use if technical issues arise.
  • Setting up and troubleshooting any technical issues before patients arrive.
  • Reviewing information on system requirements and using compatible devices.

Ensure confidentiality and security

Maintaining confidentiality and security is essential when using VRI in healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals can ensure confidentiality and security by:

  • Choosing a VRI platform that meets HIPAA requirements.
  • Ensuring that the VRI platform has secure logins and encryption features.
  • Providing training on how to protect privacy when using VRI.

Provide accessible VRI platforms

Providing accessible VRI platforms is important for ensuring that patients who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have LEP are able to access care. Some tips for providing accessible VRI platforms include:

  • Deploying VRI platforms with coverage for top languages in your service area.
  • Ensuring that VRI platforms are easy to navigate and use.
woman sitting down with headphones using video remote interpretation

Transform your patient care with Linguava’s comprehensive language solutions

Implementing VRI solutions can provide many benefits for healthcare professionals and their patients. By providing education and training, technical support, ensuring confidentiality and security, and providing accessible VRI platforms, healthcare professionals can make VRI easy and effective for their patients. With the right tools and strategies, healthcare professionals can improve communication, accessibility, and patient outcomes through the use of VRI.

Get Started

Linguava’s team of expert interpreters and translators have years of experience and expertise in a wide range of industries and languages, and are ready to help you overcome language barriers. Contact Linguava today to learn more about our interpretation and translation services!

At Linguava, we are here to support you as your partner in language access. We are both ISO 9001 and 17100 certified, ensuring quality . As a leading provider of language services for the healthcare industry, we offer a wide range of services to help medical practices incorporate language access successfully. including Translation and Localization , Scheduled Video Interpretation, Video Remote Interpretation, Over the Phone Interpretation, and American Sign Language Interpretation. 

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