http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/18/interpreters-in-er-may-limit-medical-errors-study-suggests/

FINALLY a national media outlet assists the profession of interpreting (spoken and signed languages) by announcing a study about the benefits of having interpreters in ER settings.

As an interpreter and the owner of an interpreting agency that provides on-site medical interpreting for the deaf and hard of hearing and has launched VRI interpreting in selected settings, this is a welcomed slice of news. I say slice because of this quote: “…the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that mistakes which could have ‘clinical consequences’, like giving the wrong medication dose, were about twice as likely if there were no interpreters or if the translator was an amateur.”

The study, conducted at two pediatric ERs and published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that mistakes which could have “clinical consequences,” like giving the wrong medication dose, were about twice as likely if there were no interpreters or if the translator was an amateur.”

In fact, the article goes on to say that “interpreter errors of potential clinical consequences are significantly more likely to occur when there is an ‘ad hoc’ or no interpreter, compared with a professional interpreter”.

FINALLY!

People get that interpreters are a great thing to have and many time sing the praises of the interpreter when it is realized how smoothly the conversation is and how quickly information is transferred when an interpreter is used.

Here’s the slice they don’t understand, interpreters are a vital part of the medical team when it comes to ensuring communication between medical professional and patient.

How many times have deaf patients and their family requested a PROFESSIONAL interpreter only to be given an “ad hoc” interpreter. How MANY times. Many times the “signing nurse” is called in. Many times the family member is asked to do the job because “we called but there weren’t any interpreters available”. I can assure you that our agency moves mountains to get interpreters in place for medical appointments and rarely have to reschedule due to an interpreter shortage.

The article emphasizes that any hospital receiving federal funds (i.e. money from Medicare and Medicaid as well as TriCare and other federally funded health care insurance programs) must offer some type of translation help for patients that do not use English as their native language…and in our area of expertise, that is American Sign Language.

Money is the issue.

If you are reading this blog and work for a medical facility where your office manager or one of your medical doctors has told you that a professional interpreter is not needed, please direct them to this article by Fox News. Errors not only cost money in law suits and lost patients but also in lives which circles itself back around to lost money as insurance payouts are not cheap.

Finally, the article suggests a medical interpreter have at least 100 hours of training as a professional interpreter. Here at Visual Communication Interpreting, our interpreters sent into medical ER settings are all professionally trained and are nationally certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Each interpreter is dedicated to continuing their education as an interpreter. Most have a college degree in American Sign Language interpretation and boast many years of experience in the field. If you are looking for professionals…we’ve got them.

Hire a professional interpreter today and be a part of the REVELATION! that interpreters in ER may limit medical errors. Be a HERO and hire a professional interpreter.

Sign Art Ministries Music in Motion event has become not only a popular event but a highly anticipated deaf event in the Knoxville area.  The talent is extraordinary and the time of praise and worship is inspiring.  This Vlog is simply to keep this event on the forefront of your mind.  Sign Art Ministry has its own website where all updates to include ticket pricing, sponsorship, performers, and other event details.  Please check: www.SignArtMinistry.org   SEE YOU THERE!

Sign Art Ministry Promo b from VCinterpreting on Vimeo.

Regal Announces Personal Captioning Services from VCinterpreting on Vimeo.

Regal Cinemas Personal Captioning System

We have some very exciting news from Regal Cinemas, here in Knoxville. They have partnered with Sony®, and are getting ready to launch personal captioning systems. Regal stated they should begin receiving these by mid-April 2012 and they should be ready for use about a week later.
If you are not familiar with this Sony® product, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14654339
Regal has been providing open captioned movies for so long, deaf and hard-of-hearing guests may have become used to attending in large groups. If you want to see a movie with more than 10 people, you should contact Regal® ten days before and they will try their best to get additional equipment or a scheduled open captioned show time.
Regal® plans to hand out information to any one that purchase a ticket to an open caption movie about the stop of open caption.
In Knoxville, the first movie theaters to have the personal captioning systems will be the Riviera and Pinnacle.
Enjoy the movie!

Okay, maybe “addicted” is a strong word but Facebook is the modern day DIARY!  Problem is that this diary is public and the ramifications go behind someone’s sneak peek into an individuals personal thoughts.  The modern day Diary known as FACEBOOK hangs all the dirty laundry on the line.  Why bother washing it when you can just “air it out”?!

That is exactly what this father and daughter duo did.  Daughter posted what modern kids call a “rant” on Facebook for all her friends to see and read yet hiding it from “the Parentals”.  However, this savvy father busted his sneaky daughter by going through back doors to see what she was typing in her Facebook diary.

Alas…this is the end result.

KUDOS and PROPS to Keith and Emelia Wann for the ASL overlay they have done on this VIRAL video!

Yes, this excitement is a month old but it is thrilling none-the-less to know that a Knoxville deaf person not only volunteered on the popular ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in January 2012 but also was the interviewee of choice by several television stations and newspapers.

Deaf community member, Michael Todd Arwood, was one of many community members that volunteered their time and talent on the Extreme Makeover job site alongside Grace Construction to build the Watson Family a new home and a new duplex for their community outreach project called Restoration House.  Michael worked alongside project manager Brandon, from Grace Construction, to do painting, lifting and moving of heavy lumber and various items needed during the build.  Michael not only braved the bone chilling cold weather and rain but also the mud and the muck that comes with a build site in the middle of January in East Tennessee.

Visual Communication Interpreting provided the volunteer interpreters for two of Michael’s volunteer days.  Thank you goes out to Ruann Wood and Robin Anderson for also braving the weather and the mud to ensure that Michael had equal access to communication while on the site.  Though Michael communicates very well on his own, communication was a bit more difficult in an open-air job site where generators and large, earth moving equipment were continuously running.

Michael did have the pleasure of meeting several of the shows celebrities to include Paul DiMeo as well as participate in the big reveal that took place on day 8 (postponed one day due to rain).

Please do not forget to watch the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Knoxville, Tennessee coming in November 2012.  It will be the final episode that ABC shows of this program before pulling it off the air.

Raw footage of this open captioned interview can be found here:  http://www.wate.com/story/16522819/deaf-carpenter-helps-out-at-extreme-makeover-home-edition-build

Hamilton Relay Scholarship for the Deaf from VCinterpreting on Vimeo.

Exciting Information

Hamilton Relay (provide tty, captel, vrs)is giving a scholarship worth $500 for college to support deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind. The scholarship is available to qualifying high school students living in each state Hamilton Relay is a contracted relay service provider. One applicant is selected from each state yearly.

More information about scholarship rules can be found on Hamilton Relay Website: www.hamiltonrelay.com

Thanks and good luck!

First Baptist Deaf Church, in downtown Knoxville, will have a Candlelight service on Saturday, December 24^th at 5:00pm. The service will be held in the sanctuary and interpreted for the Deaf.

First Baptist Knoxville will also have a joint worship service with the hearing congregation on Sunday, December 25^th. The service will be in the main sanctuary at 11:00am and interpreted for the Deaf.

Faith Promise Church in West Knoxville will have an interpreted Christmas service Saturday, December 24^th at 5:00pm at the Pellissippi campus. Or you can view the service and interpreter online on December 25^th at 9:00am, 10:20am, 11:45am or 9:00pm at www.faithpromise.org/icampus.

Dotson Memorial Baptist Church, in Maryville, will have a Christmas worship service on Sunday, December 25^th at 10:45am. Dotson’s service is interpreted for the Deaf.

Temple Baptist Church has a Deaf worship service on Sunday at 10:45am. Temple Baptist is in Powell.

Sevier Heights Baptist Church has an interpreted worship service on Sunday at 11:00am. SHBC is in south Knoxville on Alcoa Highway.

Celebrate the birth of Jesus and have a very, merry Christmas!

Deaf Day at Dollywood 2011 from VCinterpreting on Vimeo.

Deaf Day at Dollywood
Mark your calendar for Deaf Day at Dollywood. Kick off the Christmas season with a trip to Dollywood on December 4th. All shows will be interpreted for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Shows include: Christmas on Ice, Christmas in the Smokies, Appalachian Christmas, Carol of the Trees, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, O Holy Night, and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Tickets are $57.25 for adults, $46.00 for children, and $53.90 for seniors.
VCI will be giving away 2 free tickets. Watch the facebook page at facebook.com/vcinterpreting for information about winning this pair of tickets.
Come out and enjoy the sights, smells and stories of Christmas on December 4th for Deaf Day at Dollywood.

Dotson Memorial Baptist Church will have the church’s first Deaf Revival, August 5-7, 2011.

The Revival will start on Friday, August 5^th at 7:00pm at DMBC located in Maryville, TN.

A workshop on interpreting music will be given Saturday, August 6^th from 9:00am to 12 Noon.

DMBC will provide a fellowship dinner Saturday evening from 4:00 to 6:00pm, followed by Revival service from 6:00 to 9:00pm.

Sunday school and Worship service will take place Sunday morning beginning at 9:30am, followed by a potluck lunch at Noon (bring your favorite dish to share; the church will provide meats and drinks).

The Revival will conclude Sunday evening with a concert at 6:00pm. The Revival services, workshop and concert will all be lead by Deaf pastor Steve Dye.

To learn more about Steve’s latest project, visit www.212jam.org. If you have any questions about the Revival weekend, contact Thomas Cook at VP 865-512-8005 or tcookii149@yahoo.com.

Voice interpreting for the non-Deaf will be provided by Visual Communication Interpreting. We hope to see you at this amazing event!

This year’s Southern Baptist Convention of the Deaf (SBCD) Conference will be held at Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa, GA, July 16-22, 2011. The registration fee for adults and children ages 13 and up is $80; children ages 12 and under are free. Hotel and meal arrangements must be made separately. Registration begins at 12:00pm on the 16^th and the program begins at 6:30pm. The 17^th-21^st will be filled with Bible study, business meetings, workshops, and worship. The conference ends on the 22^nd with check-out before 11:00am. Special children’s programming will take place on Wednesday evening. Guests are welcome to fish in Lake Louise, just bring your own tackle (no fishing license required), and play on the tennis courts, just bring your own rackets. For a full list of workshops and presenters, see www.sbcdeaf.org. You can also use this website to find registration forms and other information.

-Lydia Harmon, Vlogger

VCI Interpreter/Scheduler

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