VidaTalk announces new feature enabling health care providers to communicate with non-English speaking patients during routine care interactions without an interpreter.
ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 17, 2021 (Newswire.com) - "I love you."
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you."
"Please forgive me."
-Ho'oponopono Mantra
Today, every hospital is caring for patients who are struggling to survive or in the process of dying. During the most critical time of a patient's life, many are forced to accept a muted and misunderstood experience because they cannot speak due to mechanical ventilation, their writing is illegible because they are severely deconditioned, and they are left feeling trapped in a room full of machines, starving for a human connection.
Without an effective means to convey symptoms and concerns accurately, many patients' healthcare issues can easily go unrecognized and untreated or treatment can be severely delayed. Further, the inability to communicate during this critical time can be terrifying which results in perpetual sedation, prolonging the recovery process and contributing to further complications such as delirium and death.
VidaTalk is a new healthcare communication technology that has taken off since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that left millions of patients intubated, on a ventilator, unable to communicate without assistance. With one touch of the VidaTalk software, patients are able to communicate their needs, symptoms, and requests accurately and efficiently. VidaTalk promotes patient autonomy, restores their dignity and can reduce adverse outcomes for some of the most vulnerable patient populations.
In addition to the new languages added in March, VidaTalk has just released 33 programmed provider responses when caring for patients with limited English proficiency. "Many hospitals have reported the reality that providers simply don't engage interpreters every time they enter the room of a patient who has limited English proficiency," stated Dr. Patak, CEO of Vidatak. "Providers are well intended. It's the workflow process - it's disruptive and unreliable, so providers try to get by with simple phrases, kind facial expressions and charades. This results in patients experiencing their intended communication as misunderstood and reinforces avoidant behaviors while these patients lose trust in their providers. Now, providers have a solution that makes their job easier and more gratifying."
With U.S. government support under Federal Grant Number NR014087, awarded by the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Nursing Research, VidaTalk has been iteratively developed, tested and validated to be effective in meeting the unique human factor requirements of some of the most critically ill patients and is the preferred digital communication tool amongst older adults.
Led by seasoned entrepreneurs and esteemed physicians, Vidatak goes beyond introducing groundbreaking communication products. We're on a mission to enact real change in care standards and practices.
Now that VidaTalk provides point-of-care bidirectional communication across 19 languages, most routine care can be managed without being billed per minute and actually takes place in a manner that both the patient and provider clearly understand. Steve Blumenschein, former Senior Product Manager at GetWellNetwork and Global Technology Strategist at OneView, recently joined Patak's team excited to see the impact VidaTalk was making. "It's impactful and relevant. The stories we hear are so inspiring," shared Steve. "We're excited that VidaTalk can further reduce health disparities, not only for the patients who can't speak, but also for patients who can't speak or understand the language of their provider."
Don't let these words be left unspoken: I love you. I'm sorry. Thank you. Please forgive me.
"It's impactful and relevant. The stories we hear are so inspiring," shared Steve. "We're excited that VidaTalk can further reduce health disparities, not only for the patient who can't speak, but also for patients who can't speak or understand the language of their provider."
While VidaTalk continues to build out with new and exciting features to enhance the patient's experience, Vidatak is seeking partners to expand Telehealth features that will build upon the prior work and deliver a first-in-kind assistive communication technology that connects speechless and limited English proficiency patients with remote providers, interpreters, and family and loved ones. For more information contact CEO, Dr. Patak at lance.patak@vidatak.com
Download your free VidaTalk trial today on iOS and Android.
Source: Vidatak, LLC
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