Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113216

Bruce N. Occena, MPH, MBA, Health Access Foundation, 414 13th Street #450, Oakland, CA 94612, 510 506 0775, bnocc@aol.com, Janice Chin, MPH, Alameda County Medical Center, 1411 East 31st Street, Oakland, CA 94602, and Gloria Garcia-Orme, RN, MA, San Francico General Hospital, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103.

In 2002, collaboration between Alameda County Medical Center and San Francisco General Hospital was undertaken to introduce medical interpretive services via mobile videoconference units distributed throughout ambulatory clinics at both hospitals and to test the capacity to exchange interpreter services between both systems for new efficiencies and economy of scale.

Both systems have high demand for interpreter services and are public health “safety-net” providers in their respective counties. In terms of interpreter services, both institutions are considered “mature” with large, long established, “on-site” interpreter staffs. However, the service was traditionally conducted primarily “in person” and plagued with structurally inefficiencies associated with interpreter travel and wait time.

First stage of the project focused on introducing widespread use of video medical interpretation (VMI) and optimizing phone interpretation -- while maintaining “in person” interpretation primarily in emergency and inpatient settings. Currently hundreds of videoconference interpreter sessions are being conducted monthly at both hospitals. VMI has become routine practice in clinics with high proportions of LEP patients. Initial trend, service data compared to baseline studies indicate approximately 100% efficiency improvement between VMI and “in person” sessions. Furthermore, patient and provider acceptance of VMI remains high due largely to its ability to keep visual “body language cues” in the interpretive interaction.

Drawing from the full range of experience at both hospitals, we highlight the major steps and processes; the key accomplishments and major challenges presented by the joint project. We comment on the replication potential and service and administrative implications of technologically enhanced interpreter services.

Learning Objectives: