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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.

Many seniors find it difficult to select the right Medicare plan. For those who are limited English proficient, this important decision may feel next to impossible.

The Medicare population is growing more diverse by the day. In fact, over 65 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home. Approximately 15 percent of this audience is 65 or older. The size of this audience will only increase, as North America is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older persons in the population. Meanwhile, immigration is expected to account for nearly 90 percent of population growth in the U.S. over the next several decades.

To ensure Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Plans (Part D) are enabling effective communication for all seniors – including those who speak limited English - the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) monitors the call-centers of Medicare plans each year from February to June.

Our new ebook, CMS Call Center Monitoring Study: 2020 Edition, provides an overview of the Call Center Monitoring Study as it relates to foreign language. Our guide describes the impact of the study on a plan’s Star Rating, and provides recommendations for success.

Happy New Year, friends. With a new year comes a new look for LanguageLine Solutions. Today we have the great pleasure of unveiling our new website.

The need for language access is ever-increasing. Already, one in five of our neighbors speaks a language other than English at home – that’s 64 million people. This number is bound to increase, as immigration will account for nearly 90 percent of our population increase over the next four decades. In just 25 years, our foreign-born population is expected to be 72 million, which is almost double what it is today.

Meanwhile, another 10 million are deaf or hard of hearing. This population is also expected to dramatically increase as Baby Boomers age.

Family Services of Northern Alabama (FSNA) is a non-profit that seeks to teach, empower, advocate, and liberate through education, resource networking, and providing advocacy for victims of sexual assault.

The organization recently unveiled its new addition – LanguageLine’s Interpreter on Wheels. The devices, which were gifted to the organization by the Alabama Coalition Against Rape (ACAR) – allows FSNA to instantly reach live, professional interpreters in more than 240 languages – including video interpreters in 37 languages – at the touch of a button. The Interpreter on Wheels is an on-demand video remote interpreting (VRI) tool that features a tablet mounted to a rolling stand for increased mobility.

Vancouver International is the second busiest airport in Canada, second only to Toronto. Nearly 26 million passengers from around the world came through its terminals last year.

It is often described as a trans-Pacific hub, with more direct flights to China than any other airport in North America or Europe.

Vancouver International has long placed a priority on what it calls “accessibility initiatives.” These initiatives have for several years included offering LanguageLine on-demand phone interpretation in more than 240 languages throughout its terminals.

Vancouver International recently launched a new service: LanguageLine one-touch, real-time video interpretation, which is available in 37 languages, including American Sign Language.

Con Edison is one of the largest energy companies in the United States. It provides electric and gas service in New York City and Westchester County, New York.

The communities that Con Edison serves are highly diverse, as you might imagine. To accommodate people of all languages, cultures, and abilities, the utility company is piloting an exciting new program in which it is placing LanguageLine On-Demand Video Interpreting in six walk-in centers across New York City’s five boroughs and Westchester County.

Language services companies handle thousands of calls a day. Each call is vital in its own way.

Hiring qualified interpreters and training them to deliver accurate interpretation sessions is imperative for success. But it is only the beginning. The quality of an interpreter must be supported through performance management.

How can you make sure that your interpretation provider is prioritizing quality assurance and monitoring?

More than ever before, language services providers (LSPs) are essential partners in managing and growing modern organizations that welcome all people, regardless of language, culture, or ability.

Here’s why:

One in five U.S. households speaks a language other than English at home. That’s more than 65 million people. Another 10 million are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. There are more than 350 languages currently spoken in the U.S.

An immigration wave is coming.

Did you know that over the next four decades, almost 90 percent of U.S. population growth will come from immigration?

Or that nearly half of these individuals are expected to lack English proficiency? 

How do declining American birth rates factor into this shift? Where will these immigrants come from, and how will this change the face of the America we know today?

Interpreter quality is the lifeblood of on-demand interpreting.

Connect times and technological bells and whistles do not matter if the interpreter on the other end of the line is not fully capable of delivering the empowerment you desire. It is imperative that language services providers (LSPs) have a sophisticated method for recruiting the finest interpreters in the world to meet your needs.

When evaluating interpreter quality, it is helpful to break the subject into four sections:

1. Interpreter recruiting
2. Interpreter new hire training
3. Quality assurance, monitoring, and ongoing development and support
4. Procedures and policies to ensure safety and security of information

In this article, we will address interpreter recruiting. Future blogs will cover the other criteria above.