Using Interpreters During Pandemic

It has officially been more than a year since the pandemic shook our world. It can hardly be argued that so many aspects of life have been changed. We are also seeing many businesses adapting their practices to align with the new reality. While it is true that an enormous amount of aspects are changing, some aspects will remain the same, which include the requirement to accommodate your patients, customers, and employees who are disabled as per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws. The only change is the methodology of doing so.

Before the pandemic struck, it was very common for businesses to hire an on-site American Sign Language interpreter, who will travel to the premises where the communication between American Sign Language user and another party will occur. 

Nowadays, because of the pandemic, the majority of medical offices and business workplaces want as few people in the room as possible to lessen the likelihood of the virus being transmitted. That has resulted in many medical offices shifting to telehealth appointments, which has impacted how American Sign Language interpreters are utilized. It has become common for American Sign Language interpreters to join telehealth appointments and interpret the communication interactions virtually.

Although it is important to note that having American Sign Language interpreters on-site will always be superior in terms of quality. American Sign Language interpreters are able to understand the Deaf person in person much more effectively than through a computer screen, however, the risks of having an extra person in the same room simply outweigh the benefits for some situations. 

Frederick Interpreting Agency is one of the companies that specialize in virtual interpreting services. We have two different options: Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and Virtual Interpreting (VI) services.

Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) is a great solution for when the American Sign Language user and doctor or employee are in the same room and the interpreter is not. We have a state-of-the-art Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) system that can be used on-demand anywhere with an instant connection to our large network of interpreters for more than 60 different languages, including American Sign Language.

Alternatively, Virtual Interpreting (VI) is an ideal solution for telehealth appointments and/or when every party is in a different room. We will use your preferred video conferencing platform – Google Meets, Zoom, WebEx, Doxy Me, or your preferred choice. You can simply create a meeting link and we will pass it along to our scheduled interpreter.

It is important for your business to be well equipped and be able to adapt through the pandemic and align with the new reality. Although businesses are beginning to favor Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and Virtual Interpreting (VI) to lessen the number of people in a room, it is important to acknowledge that having an on-site interpreter will always allow more effective communication.

Contact us at schedule@frederickinterpreting.com or visit us at www.frederickinterpreting.com!