Using Phone Interpretation to Improve Communication at your Rehabilitation Center
What is phone interpretation?
It is the service of communicating over the phone through an interpreter. This can be done in-person or remotely, and often patients will use this to communicate with family members when they are at a facility for rehabilitation services. Medical professionals can also use it when working with non-English speaking clients who need information about their treatment plan or care instructions given in another language.
How does it work?
The process varies depending on your center’s needs and what you’re using it for; many centers choose to go through a telephone interpreting company that offers live interpretation and video remote interpreting (VRI).
For example, if you’ve decided there is not enough time to schedule patient appointments with an interpreter during regular office hours, you may want to consider using over-the-phone interpretation (OPI) service. This would allow your patients to call in without the need for scheduling ahead of time. They can receive help during their stay or even after they leave if it is still considered medically necessary by a doctor.
Another option would be VRI; this allows both providers and patients access to on-site interpreters through their computer screens. Providers can use this tool when working with non-English speaking patients who cannot visit them in person while also ensuring that everyone receives accurate information.
Patients benefit from receiving information about their care plan, medication instructions, how to take care of themselves at home after they leave the facility, and more, all in their native language so that there are no misunderstandings due to a lack of understanding or interpretation.
Benefits for both providers and patients using phone interpretation:
1. Ability to communicate with family and friends.
Providers can use it during appointments or even after hours if they are still needed by a patient, allowing them the opportunity to stay in contact with their loved ones while also treating those that come through their doors.
If an emergency happens outside of regular business hours, providers and patients alike need to access help as soon as possible so everyone is safe. Using OPI service would allow you to do this since there will always be someone available who understands your non-English speaking patient’s needs, no matter when they call in. This way, providers won’t worry about missing out on helping patients due to language barriers at night or over the weekend.
Patients can use phone interpretation to connect with their loved ones while at the facility for rehabilitation services. This is especially beneficial if the center offers overnight stays. It allows them to contact friends and family members even when everyone isn’t there together, or someone has gone home for the day due to scheduling conflicts. There will always be an interpreter available who understands your native language, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on important conversations because of a lack of understanding.
2. Improved patient satisfaction.
Providers can use interpretation to improve patient communication, which helps increase overall client satisfaction rates since they feel more comfortable about their care and can understand everything that is being communicated during appointments or after hours if needed. This assists providers with meeting the needs of all patients coming through their doors, not just those who speak English as a first language, but for everyone who comes into contact with them.
3. Increased understanding of treatment plan.
Using interpretation to communicate with non-English speaking patients allows providers the opportunity to have another set of eyes in case there are any questions or concerns about their care plans, medications, and services being offered at the facility since they will always be someone present who understands what is being said between patient and medical professional no matter when it happens.
This can help improve provider satisfaction rates because they feel more confident that everyone is getting the information needed for good health outcomes during after-hours appointments if necessary.
Since having a higher quality of communication leads to better treatment outcomes overall, using VRI service would allow you as a patient increased comprehension about your care plan whenever you need assistance from anyone on-site or at the other end of your call.
This way, you will always know what is being discussed between yourself and anyone offering services or information about ongoing treatment, medications, etc. You won’t worry that something’s not understood when moving forward to your care plan after leaving the rehabilitation center.
4. Meeting the needs of all patients.
It can help providers meet the communication and language needs of all their clients, so they feel as comfortable as possible about getting high-quality care no matter what time it is or where you’re calling from since there will always be someone available to offer assistance who speaks your native tongue whenever needed, which also helps reduce any potential anxiety that comes with not understanding anything taking place during appointments and overnight stays.
As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest benefits for both providers and patients using VRI technology is improved patient satisfaction due mainly to increased understanding between medical professionals and non-English speaking clients; no matter what time it is or where you’re calling from, someone will be there on-site or by your side on the other end to help facilitate a higher quality of care for everyone.
5. Providers have another set of eyes.
Using it to communicate with non-English speaking patients allows providers the opportunity to have another set of eyes in case there are any questions or concerns about their care plans, medications, and services being offered at the facility since they will always be someone present who understands what is being said between patient and medical professional no matter when it happens.
This can help improve provider satisfaction rates because they feel more confident that everyone is getting the information needed for good health outcomes during after-hours appointments if necessary.
Since having a higher quality of communication leads to better treatment outcomes overall, using VRI service would allow you as a patient increased comprehension about your care plan whenever you need assistance from anyone on-site or at the other end of your call.
This way, you will always know what is being discussed between yourself and anyone offering services or information about ongoing treatment, medications, etc. You won’t worry that something’s not understood when moving forward to your care plan after leaving the rehabilitation center.
6. More accurate medication administration.
Using phone interpretation can help providers meet the communication and language needs of all their clients. This way, they feel as comfortable as possible about getting high-quality care no matter what time it is or where you’re calling from since there will always be someone available to offer assistance who speaks your native tongue whenever needed. It also helps reduce any potential anxiety that comes with not understanding anything during appointments and overnight stays.
7. Ensures that interpreters are there when you need them.
Through phone interpretation, providers can help reduce any potential anxiety that comes with not understanding anything during appointments and overnight stays.
In conclusion, rehabilitation interpretation is crucial and phone interpretation can be used to improve communication at your rehabilitation center. Using it will help with the overall satisfaction of both patients and providers and make it easier for everyone involved to understand each other without having any language barriers presents whenever needed.
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