California hospitals rely on VoIP to breach language barriers
Source: voipcentral.org
Here is a classy example to show how the innovative use of Voice and Video over IP has enabled the California hospitals to break the language barriers between doctors and patients.
California is the most diverse state of USA with a population of 37 million and 40 percent of which speak a language other than English at home. A recent survey on the healthcare reveals around 70 percent patients face language barrier while communicating to their doctors.
In other words, they find it tough to explain their disease and symptoms. Most of the cases, they hardly make out the doctors treatment advice. Quite long, the California hospitals are in search of a technology, which could breach the language barriers. Taking a pioneering step in this direction, Cisco Systems provided its Unified Communication product portfolio for the Health Care Interpreter Network (HCIN).
For better understanding, HCIN is a translation network that routes about 3,000 videoconference and phone calls a month from the hospitals to the interpreters. Using this service, the doctors and patients bridge their language differences.
The HCIN connects doctors and patients with Spanish language interpreters in a call center. The interpreter speaks English and the language of the patient. Calls are replied in less than five minutes and most are connected within 40 seconds.
As of now, three hospitals San Joaquin General Hospital, San Mateo Medical Center, and Con- tra Costa Health Services are implementing this system.
