Does this product replace the need for an interpreter?
No, it’s a tool to be used prior to the arrival of, and in concert with, an interpreter. It saves time and money and, perhaps most importantly, increases quality.

If this product doesn’t replace interpreters…what good is it?
This product has tremendous value! It can save twenty or more minutes of staff and interpreter time from a single patient encounter. Interpreters can cost as much as $4.00 per minute. The savings are both easy to see and substantial.

How easy is it to integrate this product with our current interpreting strategy?
Very easy. We offer an instruction sheet customized to your facility that can be printed with each BiMedical questionnaire. Whether you use in-person or over-the-phone interpreters, this custom instruction sheet can empower your staff and create significant efficiencies. For instance, your instruction sheet may direct them to call an in-house number for Spanish interpretation but direct them to an offsite number for other language support. Your instructions can be as detailed as you’d like.

How much training is required to use this product?
Less than 5 minutes. Generating a questionnaire is as simple as double clicking the desktop Icon and following three plainly written and simple to follow steps. An instruction sheet is available from the application main page for use at department meetings or for training new staff.

What if the patient can’t read?
If the patient can’t read, our questionnaires allow interpreters to get to work as soon as they arrive. Typically, an interpreter will wait for hospital staff to come to the patient’s bedside before any useful information can be obtained. With BiMedical, the interpreter can fill out the questionnaire with the patient and thereby save your busy staff significant bedside time.

Can I use this for English speaking patients?
The forms can work for English speaking patients as an automated information gathering tool. Deaf populations will also find the questonnaires useful.

What if I don’t even know what language the patient speaks?
The problem of determining the patient’s language can be solved by printing our unique “Language Selection Form”. This questionnaire was specifically created to help determine a patient’s language. Click here to see it!

Has anyone published research on this concept?
Yes! Click here to see some articles.

How do I know the translations are accurate?
All of the translations contained in the system are completed, reviewed and vetted by Language Line Services professional translation teams. To ensure the translations are accurate, they are first translated into the target language and re-translated back to English by an different interpreter. The two English iterations are then compared for accuracy and a final review by another team of translators.

Is this application HIPAA compliant?
Yes. BiMedical.net does not have any way to collect or store individually identifiable patient information so there is minimal HIPAA concern. If more protection is needed, A standard business associate agreement will cover the relationship between Language Line Services and your organization.

Can I customize the questionnaires?
A unique instruction sheet for your location is already available. Hospital logo’s can be incorporated if desired as well. Currently, the medical content of the questionnaires is static and not customizable.