BCHS upgrades its translator services
What do you do when someone tries to communicate with you in a language with which you are unfamiliar? That task just became a lot easier at Battle Creek Health System.
Over the years, BCHS has been fortunate to have a cadre of more than three-dozen local citizens who serve as translators for the hospital speaking and writing a dozen languages.
"Sometimes however, if a patient happens to come to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, or at times when our translators are not readily accessible, or if they speak a language in which we do not have an interpreter on our translator list, it can challenge our communication process," says Steve Marzolf, RN, MSA, director of emergency services at the hospital. "Because we are constantly looking to improve our service to the community, we are pleased to report that we have signed an agreement with Cyracom for telephone interpreter services."
In the past, our local interpreters have made themselves available on-call to serve as translators for the hospital whenever we have a patient who does not speak English as a primary language. Unfortunately it sometimes took a half hour to an hour for them to get to the hospital depending upon the time of day or night. This new technology offers certified translators who work in over 200 languages who can interact with the caregiver and patient and it only takes about 20 seconds to get connected.
"In a nutshell, the new electronic translator service will assure the best patient/caregiver communication interaction possible," says Marzolf. "It will help us first, to fully understand the patient's needs so we can more quickly diagnose the condition, and then we can explain the treatment options all in a matter of seconds."
BCHS has placed phone sets in key areas around the system that are connected with this new translator service-all to better serve its patients.
Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic health system in the U.S. with 12 hospitals, 9 nursing homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Battle Creek Health System as a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award(tm). HealthGrades is a leading health care information company that provides objective 'report card' ratings nationwide. BCHS provides excellent health care for the community and promotes wellness for the whole person with access and compassion for all. For the latest medical information, visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132.
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