In January 2003, BIDMC launched Interpreter CareLink, a very exciting use of videoconference technology to enhance patient care. We recognized that the geographic reality of the medical center - 47 buildings on 31 acres, often hindered our language interpreters' ability to serve our Emergency Department's non-English speaking and hearing impaired patients. As a result, DISCO - our Digital Interpreter Services Communicator - was born.
A collaborative project developed by Interpreter Services, Clinical Applications, and TeleMedicine, Interpreter's Carelink uses Polycom's iPower units for videoconferencing over our corporate LAN. Now, rather than make patients wait for an interpreter to travel across campus or juggle scheduled appointments, the Russian, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Cape verdean,Vietnamese, and Sign Language Interpreters can stay in their office to connect with patients in the Emergency Department. ED staff simply move DISCO, now completely wireless thanks to a new 9 hour battery and Aironet Wireless Card, to the foot of the patient's bed, and the interpreter can begin interacting immediately.
Initiated as a pilot project in 1999, this "PUG Best Practices" Award winner determined that videoconferencing equipment could be used to 1) more quickly respond to staff requests for interpreters, 2) increase efficiency of staff interpreters and 3) expand access to qualified interpreters, all while maintaining exceptional patient care. We demonstrated that not only could interpreters successfully provide more timely interpretation but also that patients felt "specially cared for."
This success is particularly noteworthy in light of the July 1, 2002 enactment of the Interpreter Services Law. The law requires every acute-care hospital to provide competent professional interpreter services to every non-English speaking patient. This applies to all emergency room services provided.
Currently, a team
of clinicians, interpreters, and information services specialists are
developing plans to move this clinical application to support "After
Hours" care. When a patient need arrises after-hours (5:30 pm to
7:30 am weekdays, and 5:30 pm Firday to 7:30 am Monday), Interpreters
need to travel up to an hour to get to the medical center . To offset
time lost in travel, we are testing the viability of connecting Interpreters
from their homes to the Emergency Department using the public Internet.
If initial success is an indicator, we will realize our hope of more readily
providing excellent patient care, particularly during after hours, using
video-over-IP.