Language Line Services Introduces Web-Based Language Access Portal for the Healthcare Community Using Smartphones, iPads and Other Mobile Devices

MONTEREY, Calif., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To provide healthcare organizations nationwide a place to stay informed with information related to language access in healthcare, Language Line Services has launched a new all-in-one, multi-device online portal (http://healthcare.languageline.com).

Language Line Services, the global leader in interpretation and translation services, is enabling access to healthcare providers to aid in the support of effective communication between healthcare providers and limited English proficient (LEP) patients.

New regulatory requirements for patient-centered and effective communication from The Joint Commission require hospitals to ensure programs and policies are in place to mitigate risks to patient safety.

Medical professionals can now manage important tasks including access to professional interpreters, translation of vital medical documents, localization ("translating" Web content), cultural sensitivity training, legal compliance, language proficiency testing and a myriad of other tools and resources through this portal.

"This will be the only language access portal I will need," said Louise Behiel, Manager of Interpretation and Translation Services for Alberta Health Services. "What this site does is speak directly to healthcare professionals in an extremely organized way. It's great to be able to go to one place and click one button. It's intuitive, and you can even access the portal from your smartphone or tablet computer."

With over 20 million over-the-phone interpreting calls taken in 2011 alone, Language Line Services is the global leader in language solutions and has been the "first-responder" to the healthcare community often struggling with the needs of an increasingly diverse patient population.

The country's ethnic minorities are projected to become the majority by 2050, according to the Pew Research Center, and the U.S. population is expected to swell to 438 million over the next 40 years with immigrants driving 82 percent of the growth.

"Language Line Services has grown during the past 30 years as the #1 language access provider in the healthcare, insurance, government and emergency responders' economic sectors. It's clear that each one of these industries has its own set of regulatory requirements and other unique needs. With that in mind, this new portal is the first of multiple sector-specific portals that Language Line Services will be launching to support this evolving need," said Louis F. Provenzano, Jr., President & CEO of Language Line Services.

"There is a proven and direct correlation between effective, quality communication and high patient-satisfaction scores that can give hospitals a competitive edge as well as reduce malpractice claims and adverse patient outcomes," Provenzano said.

"We are always on the front lines in our field leading the drive for quality standards to eliminate communication gaps between healthcare providers and the communities for which they serve. This new portal will become the nation's main center for information on language access in healthcare, empowering hospitals with comprehensive tools and making it even easier for them to get the assistance they need," Provenzano added.

As clinicians increasingly use mobile devices such as iPads and smartphones, the portal can seamlessly integrate into existing internal systems. The site is designed to increase efficiency and productivity by providing service access from any location, and through virtually any device. Users are able to submit requests for reports, data, metrics, and training information from one centralized point.

"This proactive tool for healthcare providers only reinforces Language Line Services' position as the industry leader," said Terry August, Director of Marketing for the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). "A phenomenal job has been done capturing the regulatory information related to language access requirements and promises to be a helpful resource for busy healthcare staff."

For more information, visit http://healthcare.languageline.com or contact Ms. Jeanette Anders, Manager of Healthcare Strategic Initiatives, at [email protected].

About Language Line Services

Language Line Services, the global leader in telephone interpreting and language solutions, serves clients in government, healthcare, telecommunications, financial services, utilities, insurance and many other industries by quickly connecting them to their customers, patients and sales prospects in more than 170 spoken languages as well as American Sign Language (ASL) and Mexican Sign Language (LSM). Language Line Services is recognized as a trusted partner to thousands of public and private organizations throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, providing easy access to the industry's fastest language interpreting service at highly competitive rates. For more information about Language Line Services' suite of telephone, on-site and video interpreting, document translation, interpreter assessment and training programs, please call (800) 752-6096 or visit http://www.languageline.com.

Contact:
Trent Freeman
Olmstead Williams Communications
310.824.9000
[email protected]
http://www.olmsteadwilliams.com

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SOURCE Language Line Services