BARRIERS Breaking Down

AdventHealth’s Stratus Video Translation Service Spells Out Improved Care in Any Language

- TERESA SCHIFFER

WHEN IT COMES to health care, it is absolutely vital for practitioners to be able to communicate effectively with their patients. The patients need to understand their condition(s) and available treatments in order to make the best informed decision for themselves. A language barrier inhibits that exchange of necessary information and impedes the healthcare process.

This type of situation can become a serious issue in a market as diverse as Central Florida. Not only do we have large populations of non-English speakers in the area, we also have a near-constant influx of visitors from around the world taking advantage of the region’s many tourist attractions. AdventHealth recognizes the pressing need for adequate translation services in a healthcare setting so as to facilitate high-quality care. For that reason, AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport and AdventHealth Lake Wales now utilize a company called Stratus Video for 24-hour interpreter services.

We talked to Belinda Rieger, an occupational therapist who is Director of Rehab Services at Heart of Florida, about how this new service improves healthcare.