Pictured (left to right): ER Registered Nurses Lisa Hartwigsen and Melissa Wallace show the portability and ease of use of the video translators for their patients.
The non-English speaking population in west central Iowa are now able to more easily communicate with their healthcare providers, with the simple push of a button. Just in the past year, St. Anthony Regional Hospital’s medical and clinical staff began using Stratus video technology to connect with medically-certified interpreters. Stratus, which mimics Apple’s FaceTime app, provides 24-hour support in 19 languages through video interpretation, including sign language, and more than 200 other languages through audio interpretation. “The translator has proven to be an invaluable tool in the Emergency Room (ER) and the Critical Care Unit (CCU),” said Registered Nurse and Clinical Supervisor, Aaron Buck. “The technology helps to eliminate pressure that language barriers can create when trying to communicate complex medical terminology or sensitive health concerns.” Buck added that some words in English do not always have a direct parallel in other languages and the live translators help to ensure that the context of the conversation is understood for all parties.
