BC Cancer Vancouver provides a comprehensive cancer control program for British Columbia their mandate covers the full spectrum of cancer care from prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Research, education, support and palliative care are also provided.
Such an ambitious set of services would be complex in one language. But Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city. Because it is multicultural, it is also multilingual. More than half of Vancouver’s school-age children have been raised speaking a language other than English. Beyond English and French, Vancouver has large populations that speak Punjabi, German, Italian, Tagalog, and Spanish, among others.
To address this challenge, BC Cancer Vancouver is introducing on-demand video interpreting from LanguageLine, allowing caregivers to connect with professional linguists in 40 languages at the touch of a button. The device, which is mounted on an adjustable rolling stand, features a language menu that includes American Sign Language and British Sign Language. Audio-only interpretation is also available through the device in more than 240 languages.
“We are excited to launch the first (video interpreting) solution at the BC Cancer Vancouver Centre,” said Kiran Malli, director of Provincial Language Service (PLS). “The technology we are introducing will ensure that language is not a barrier to care. Through its on-demand nature, clinicians have ready access to a trained and certified interpreter.”
The video remote interpreting (VRI) will augment PLS’s other interpreter offerings, which include in-person and over the phone interpreting.
Learn more about how BC Cancer Vancouver is using innovative language-access solutions to improve patient care.
LanguageLine Can Help
Language barriers present multiple challenges when providing medical care. With the risk of misunderstanding comes the possibility of readmissions and lessened health outcomes. Video interpreting can help improve patient satisfaction, decrease readmissions, increase efficiency, and ensure compliance. We invite you to read more about the advantages language services provide to healthcare organisations like yours.
For more than 40 years, LanguageLine has turned linguistic and cultural challenges into opportunities. We invite you to schedule a consultation so that together we can uncover the opportunities that lie within your organisation.