Equiva, LanguageLine Partnership Advances Health Equity by Improving Language Interpretation at Hospital Bedside and Beyond

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Jun 16, 2022, 08:33 ET

MONTEREY, Calif., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LanguageLine Solutions, the world leader of interpretation services, and Equiva, a digital patient engagement and health relationship management solution provider, today announced a strategic partnership. The goal is to support healthcare organizations (HCOs) in reducing language as a barrier to care for individuals not proficient in English, as well as to advance health equity.

This partnership streamlines the process for HCOs to deliver LanguageLine's interpreting application on Equiva's health relationship management platform. It ensures round-the-clock access to 17,000-plus interpreters in more than 240 languages via tablets and cell phones used by inpatients, outpatients, and people accessing services remotely. The interpreting service is available in both video and audio-only formats.

"Health inequities are far too prevalent. We're very pleased to collaborate with LanguageLine to advance health equity by addressing language as a social determinant of health," said Nir Altman, CEO of Equiva. "By providing one-touch, always-on access to interpreters via mobile devices, we enable patients, loved ones, and clinicians to collaborate in a highly effective and efficient way."

According to Altman, studies have shown that people with limited English proficiency are less likely to seek care, obtain services when necessary, and access preventive services, all of which can add costs to the healthcare system. Research also shows that the use of interpreter services contributes to increased patient and clinician satisfaction, as well as to improved care among patients with language barriers.

Northwell Health's Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH) is one of several organizations now providing LanguageLine's interpretation services via Equiva tablets. The hospital's clinicians perform ambulatory surgical procedures for as many as 100 patients each day across 17 operating rooms.

"We care for a large number of Spanish-speaking patients and also many who speak less-common languages such as Creole, Jamaican, Italian, Russian and Mandarin," said Kerry Donohue, MSN, RN, manager of patient experience and culture leader at MEETH. "Language services are a 'must have' to support members of our care team in delivering the best quality healthcare in a timely and efficient manner."

MEETH initially deployed Equiva tablets in all 30 of its pre-op and post-op patient bays to provide entertainment and other services to help minimize anxiety and reduce perceived wait times. More recently they added language interpretation to the devices, allowing them to ensure always available access to interpretation services via video. Previously, interpretation services were provided mostly via audio only devices with limited access to video-engaged interpreters.

"Having LanguageLine on Equiva tablets has been instrumental in helping us improve patient experience and caregiving," Donohue said. "Our nurses are especially excited about this. It's so wonderful for care team members to be empowered to overcome language barriers and communication gaps. I can't stress how important ease-of-use is in these situations and how powerful it is to equip every bed with 24-7 video interpretation services."

Equiva delivers LanguageLine via its health relationship management (HRM) platform, a point solution and software delivery framework that supports HCOs in developing and retaining long-term customer relationships. With tens of thousands of interactions per day, Equiva solutions have touched millions of lives across 800-plus customer deployments.

LanguageLine President and CEO Scott W. Klein said his organization is pleased to support the effort to bring language access closer to patients and caregivers.

"Together, Equiva and LanguageLine serve the right people at the right time by providing one-touch, on-demand access to interpreters via video or audio, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Klein said. "This technology lowers language and cultural barriers, and can quite literally be lifesaving. We're making healthcare more equitable by empowering patients and caregivers to experience the sort of communication they deserve."

A case study highlighting the value of delivering LanguageLine's application on Equiva tablets at MEETH is available at Equiva's website.

Media Contact
Beth Strohbusch, Equiva, 414-213-8818, [email protected]

SOURCE LanguageLine Solutions