Video Remote Interpreting – Focus Group BCEHS

https://youtu.be/h0QbdJRLHs4

My name is Scott Jeffery, and I am a Sign Language Service Coordinator at the Provincial Language Service (PLS) where I help coordinate delivery of the Provincial Medical Sign Language Interpreting Services (PMSLIS – known as MIS).

 When delivering interpreting services in health care, we face a number of challenges. Some relate to our ability to find available interpreters for pre-booked or emergency appointments. Another challenge is that PLS currently isn’t able to provide Video Remote Interpreting services as a standard offering to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing patients.

To help us address some of these challenges, we’re initiating a collaborative project, known as Video Remote Interpretation (VRI), with our partners at the BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and the Office of Virtual Health (OVH) to offer improved access to interpreters. With VRI, professional interpreters will provide service remotely over video. The VRI system will also be capable of handling interpreting through voice only, if video is not needed or unnecessary. 

 By using VRI, paramedics will be able to access live American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters 24/7 when encountering a Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing patient. A VRI app will be accessible through the iPhone that is currently provided in all ambulances. 

 If you are a Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing person living in British Columbia, we would really appreciate your input on this new service and invite you to take part in a focus group discussion about any previous experience you have in communicating with paramedics, especially in an ambulance.

 The discussion will take place on October 5th at 5 pm and be an online discussion so that anyone throughout the province can participate. We expect it will last for approximately 30 to 60 minutes.

If you’re interested, please respond by emailing us by September 20th, 2020, at pmslis@phsa.ca with your full name and the city you currently reside in. 

 We will then contact you via email with meeting link to Zoom. 

 If you are not able to participate in this discussion, we’d still like to hear from you so please email us at pmslis@phsa.ca

 Thank you, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.