Q.: Why should I use ProLingua MP instead of ProLingua?
A.: ProLingua MP was designed based on feedback from health care workers who use their computer to enter data while speaking to the patient. These workers found it somewhat cumbersome to switch back and forth from ProLingua to their software to enter data. Their suggestion was to create a smaller version of ProLingua that can "sit on top" of their existing software but still enable quick access to ProLingua phrases. They also requested limiting the phrases specific to their functional needs. This minimized training time from two hours to only a few minutes. If you have a limited number of phrases you need to speak or you require the computer for data entry during the patient encounter, ProLingua MP may be the solution for you.
Q.: What does ProLingua have that ProLingua MP doesn't?
A.: Because of ProLingua MP's smaller size, it was not designed to be shown to patients. Therefore it does not contain the sections for patient demonstrations (MedPix and MedDemo). It also does not contain some of more sophisticated capabilities of ProLinuga which require the larger screen size to accomplish (MedWizard, Discharge Instructions, and the Cultural Competency Center).
Q.: How does the patient interact with ProLingua MP and how do you understand what the patient says?
A.: This works the same way as in ProLingua. About 85% of the questions are built into ProLingua MP are designed to be answerable as "yes", "no", or "I don't know". There are instructions for the patients for how to respond are available within ProLingua MP (Language/Instruction). The patient listens to phrases as they are spoken by the system and, when asked, responds, in most cases, with a "yes", "no", or "I don't know". For the other 15% ProLingua MP provides a simple "point" booklet containing translated options.
Q.: How is ProLingua MP typically implemented in hospitals?
A.: ProLingua MP is delivered as a Web-based application. Once purchased, the administrator will have access information to launch ProLingua MP on any machine within the facility. ProLingua MP is most commonly used on computers in registration, admission, finance, radiology, and floors. Any area of your organization that requires only a limited set of phrases without the need for the more sophisticated capabilities of ProLingua (MedPix, MedDemo, MedWizard, Custom Discharge Instrictions, and the Cultural Competence Center) is a potential candidate for ProLingua MP.
Q.: What languages are currently available? When and which languages are coming next?
A.: Spanish, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese are currently available. Cantonese will be available Q4 '08. Additional languages will be selected and released based on demographics and market demands.
Q.: What IT resources are required to implement ProLingua MP in our facility?
A.: The short answer is: a computer with a web browser, internet connection, and a pair of speakers. Like many other software service applications which run over the internet, ProLingua MP is desgined to minimize IT support needed at your facility - which means that you can start using ProLingua MP right away.