Language Assistance updates interpretation iPoles

Updates have been made to the video remote interpretation (VRI) software available on more than 300 “iPoles” (interpreter poles) throughout the hospital, including in the Emergency Department and at off-site locations.

The iPoles allow providers to log in and connect via video link with a qualified interpreter in approximately 30 seconds. VRI supplements in-person interpreters when necessary.

Additional video languages now available include Bengali, Swahili, Karen and Japanese. Video interpreters in Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Cantonese are now available 24/7, every day of the year.

VRI software updates also include improvements in connectivity, video quality and user interface. Improved picture quality allows interpreters and patients to more clearly see each other’s non-verbal cues during interpretation sessions. User interface improvements include larger fonts for better visibility; more streamlined language search function; and language buttons in both English and native-language alphabets to help patients quickly find their languages. For more information about the iPoles, email [email protected].