Q.: We already have Spanish interpreters. How can ProLingua help us?
A.: ProLingua is designed to complement your existing language services, not replace them. In many hospitals, the interpretation service department is extremely busy and significant delays are common before they can arrive to interpret. Or when they do arrive, the interpreter is unable to stay with the patient for the entire encounter. ProLingua empowers the hospital staff to have simple conversations with the limited English-proficient (LEP) patients while waiting for an interpreter to arrive or when the interpreter is unavailable.
In other situations, when questions or information are brief, ProLingua facilitates communication that often would not have taken place. For example, asking a patient if their pain is getting better after medication is important, but most providers will not call and wait for an interpreter to ask this simple question.
Besides speaking phrases, ProLingua has additional capabilities that live interpreters cannot provide. These include creating and printing discharge and medication instructions in language; demonstrating proper techniques for complex topics; showing medical and anatomical illustrations; accessing a centralized repository of current vital documents and their translations; and providing quick access to relevant cultural information.
Q.: Our doctors would prefer to use live interpreters. How can we use ProLingua with them?
A.: One of key the benefits of ProLingua is that using ProLingua in non-emergent areas of the hospital (e.g., registration, financial) will free up live interpreters to be more readily available for more important clinical interpreting with physicians and nurses. Improved efficiency, quick access to basic phrases, the ability to print discharge and medication instructions, and demonstrating complex medical concepts to patients are capabilities well received by physicians and nurses who use ProLingua.
Q.: How does the patient interact with ProLingua and how do you understand what the patient says?
A.: About 85% of the questions built into ProLingua are designed to be answerable as "yes", "no", or "I don't know". The instructions for the patients on how to respond are available within ProLingua (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 provides a simple "point" screen containing translated options. Phrases to overcome difficulty with communication are also included as well as options to elicit questions that require further discussions with a live interpreter.
Q.: How is ProLingua typically implemented in hospitals?
A.: ProLingua is delivered as a Web-based application. Once a subscription is purchased, the ProLingua administrator will have access information to launch ProLingua on any machine within the facility. Many hospitals have or are planning to have a computer at each patient's bedside. These bedside computers are often being used to access the hospital's Electronic Medical Record (EMR) System. ProLingua can be used through these computers. Many hospitals use "computers on wheels" (COWs) that are movable from patient to patient. These COWs are typically connected to the server through a WiFi network at the hospital. In other hospitals with limited computer access, several computer stations can be arranged so that LEP patients are moved to those stations when they arrive at the hospital. Others have laptops with WiFi that can be carried from room to room.
Q.: Is ProLingua HIPAA Compliant?
A.: Yes. All information stored in memory is session specific and does not contain any patient identifiers or methods to link that information with any patient. All information stored for a patient can be printed -- at which time any necessary patient identifiers may be manually added to the paper document. If a session is terminated, all information gathered during that session is deleted. No long term storage of sensitive patient data occurs in ProLingua.
Q.: I've heard of another product called MedBridge. How is ProLingua different from MedBridge?
A.: Like ProLingua, MedBridge does speak phrases in multiple languages. However, unlike MedBridge, ProLingua was created by a physician-led team for use by healthcare workers. It is more medically comprehensive and includes features such as discharge and medication instruction generators that are not found in MedBridge. Many hospitals and leading interpretation experts knowledgeable of both products have found ProLingua superior in its applicability and usefulness in health care facilities.
Q.: I've heard of HealthPort which is being marketed by Language Line Services. How is ProLingua different from HealthPort?
A.: Language Line is a distributor for Polyglot Systems. HealthPort is the brand name used by Language Line for ProLingua. HealthPort is identical to ProLingua except for one additional capability found in HealthPort called Direct Connect. Direct Connect is a feature that requests an over-the-phone interpreter from Language Line using a single click of a button.
Q.: Will you customize the list of phrases for our facility?
A.: Although this is possible, most hospitals find this unnecessary. If you have a strong need for specific phrases we can accommodate your request for a customization fee. To pursue this, please contact your Account Representative for assistance with a custom quote.
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.: Can hospital pharmacies use MedWizard?
A.: Yes, to a limited extent. MedWizard is primarily designed to help physicians create medication instructions quickly in a foreign language. It is not designed to support full time pharmacy requirements and their typical workflow needs. However, some customers are using ProLingua in their pharmacies to demonstrate medication techniques and support limited conversations with the pharmacist. Our new Web-based application "Meducation" was designed to support the pharmacy workflow. (See Meducation)
Q.: What IT resources are required to implement ProLingua 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 is desgined to minimize IT support needed at your facility - which means that you can start using ProLingua right away.
Q.: How much training is required to become proficient?
A.: For registration personnel, familiarity with ProLingua takes about one hour. For doctors and nurses, initial training may take up to two hours depending on the individual. Proficiency is achieved through increased, frequent use and comfort level with the software - typically about 4 hours of interaction with the software. A user guide is available on ProLingua's main menu.
Q.: How frequently is ProLingua updated?
A.: ProLingua is updated continuously.