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  • Essay / Human Interpreter Services - 1535

    The current process for obtaining a human interpreter who meets facility policy can be lengthy and sporadic. The interpreter cannot be a family member or friend, in accordance with the institution's policy and the recommendations of the Joint Commission which began in January 2011. The current procedure is slow (see Annex II: Old model workflow for human interpreter services) and leaves room for errors. A human interpreter may not be contacted at all or contact may be delayed. If the admitting nurse does not complete the task of initiating interpreter services, they risk being missed for a considerable period of time while everyone assumes the interpreter has been contacted . The goal is competent interpretation that meets Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regulations, and 24/7 service. Nextalk is a system that not only helps with interpretation in a foreign language, but also translation for the hearing impaired. It is a software system installed on computers to provide language assistance. NexTalk helps eliminate any processing delays by having interpreters from across the country ready at the touch of a few buttons (see Appendix IV-New Workflow Model for NexTalk). Nextalk is accessible when a person with SLE is admitted to the hospital or arrives at the emergency department. The computer on which NexTalk is installed remains with the patient for the duration of their hospital stay. The person benefiting from the LED then has access to an interpreter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The system is ADA (American with Disabilities Act) and HIPPA compliant and can be installed on new and existing networks (NexTalk, 2011). A NexTalk implementation plan is essential for the middle of the document......k. The eighth and final phase of Kotter's theory of change is to make the change stick. Once the system is fully operational and healthcare professionals are aware of the system, it should last. Reverting to using family members for interpretation or using gestures should not be acceptable. Periodically, progress and successes related to the use of Nextalk systems should be realized. Usage statistics and data should also be kept as proof of the need for the system. Using Kotter's Eight Phases of Change theory, the implementation of the NexTalk system should go smoothly. There will be less resistance to change and a more positive urgency to change the current system. The theory will help keep the implementation schedule on track from start to finish. Like any change, it must be achievable, realistic and measurable..