Georgetown
University Hospital Launches MedStar Interpreter Network
Reprinted from The Georgetown Star,
January 2010
Georgetown University Hospital's language services
team recently helped MedStar Health launch the MedStar Interpreter
Network (MIN) - an on-demand, all-language remote interpreting
system that reduces the Hospital's reliance on in-person
interpretation. MIN provides more efficient, 24/7 access to
quality medical interpretation and uses new and existing equipment
Hospital-wide to connect providers with interpreters via telephone
and wireless video. It is staffed by GUH interpreters and securely
linked to a network of hospital interpreters across the country.
"MIN allows us to serve more patients in a short time
frame since we do not have to move from one end of the Hospital
to the other," said Ana Sofia Lovett, language services
advocate and MIN interpreter in International Services. "It
gives us the peace of mind that our patients will get an interpreter
right then at the moment that it is needed, and all the interpreters
provided by MIN are competent to do medical interpretation."
Terri Heffernan, who is a GUH American Sign Language (ASL)
language services advocate and MIN interpreter in Patient and
Physician Advocacy said, "MIN has allowed for the accommodation
of more deaf patients to receive medical care on a daily basis.
MIN, on short notice, is able to provide more interpreters
to serve this increasing population. Now with the support of
MIN, the GUH language services staff can accommodate more effectively
the various needs beyond interpretation that arise for patients."
With the launch of MIN, it becomes the primary interpretation
service used by GUH, though providers can decide if an in-person
interpreter is required based on the medical or communication
needs of the patient. Starting in November, the MIN rollout
team has visited inpatient units, outpatient clinics and supporting
departments and support services including Protective Services,
Telecom operators and many others to educate staff on the use
of the MIN equipment and service.
The benefits of using MIN have been particularly felt in the
Emergency Department, now equipped with two video units that
can access an ASL interpreter in seconds from the moment the patient walks in the ED. Before MIN, the normal
wait-time for an ASL interpreter in the ED was up to two hours.
Other clinicians are also seeing the value of MIN.
Willard Barnes, MD, chief of Gynecologic Oncology said, "The
new video interpreter system is quick, convenient and the patients
seem to like the system very much."
Patients also have expressed positive feelings about MIN.
Joseph Heredia, who is a deaf student at Gallaudet University,
recently had surgery on his elbow at GUH. Until GUH began using
MIN, he had only been using in-person interpretation during
his visits to GUH. Heredia has commented, "I am so impressed
with the MIN video unit. I hope to see the system replicated
in every hospital in the United States, in my lifetime."
Martin Mata-Alvarez, a Spanish-speaking patient at GUH enthusiastically
commented, "I feel good about MIN. I think it's
a really advanced, great system and it helps people that don't
speak English fluently."
To access MIN, staff can dial GoMIN (x46646) from any Hospital
phone or video device. Requests for in-person interpreters
must be made in advance by calling 4-TERP (x48377). For more
information, or to request an in-service, please call Language
Services at 4-TERP (x48377). |
