With the number of non-native English speakers steadily rising in the United States, it is not uncommon for businesses to be faced with language translation challenges on a regular basis.
In most cases, taking an extra bit of time to work through a language barrier isn’t a big deal. But, for some, such as those in the medical profession, lacking the ability to communicate could have far harsher consequences.
There is no shortage of language translation apps in the marketplace — Google Translate, ITranslate, Vocre. With many such apps, security questions are ever-present. In addition, many often charge a separate fee for each translation or group of translations.
The four-person team at Wethersfield’s SayHi think they have created something better with the SayHi Translate app for use on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, touting it as the first business-grade mobile interpreting platform.
“The idea for SayHi Translate was born from observation in a hospital for the medical necessity,” said Deby Gould, the app’s co-founder and chief of enterprise. “There simply were too many patients unable to communicate with the medical staff in a way they could understand what was happening. There were too many patients leaving, unseen, after waiting hours for some type of interpretation services.”
While SayHi Translate, which currently supports 23 languages and took three years to develop, is aimed at the millions of businesses that can benefit from digital interpreting, the app has particular viability for the health care industry.
The self-funded app, which is HIPAA-compliant and data redundant, uses the Amazon cloud, Dragon’s medical and standard libraries for interpretation and a few other proprietary systems created in house. Security is addressed with full data 250-bit encryption protecting in transit and at rest conversations.
Gould says the security and accuracy SayHi provides is what really sets it apart from the competition.
“The more you speak, the smarter SayHi Translate becomes. We created the first accuracy test by showing the text of the speaker’s conversation over the interpreted conversation,” Gould said. “If the translation is not accurate, the speaker can cancel it and start over. If there is a problem with accuracy, the speaker can use the keyboard and type the word they know is translating incorrectly.”
“This is the only app that serves both speakers’ languages and avoids any miscommunication.”
The app can be downloaded from the iTunes app store — where it was noted as “New and Noteworthy” for business just six days after it launched. In addition to a handful of individual customers, SayHi Translate is currently in beta testing in several locations, including Georgetown’s University Hospital and its Nursing School.
Pricing, with unlimited usage, ranges from $16/month for a single user to $72/month for larger teams. Custom pricing is also available.
Recently, the Joint Commission on Hospital Standards, a private organization, released new standards for patient-centered communication. These standards, put into effect in January, effectively require health care organizations to provide all patients, regardless of language, patient-centered communication.
Robert Burt, Alexander M. Bickel professor of law at Yale Law School, says that notwithstanding its private status, if the Joint Commission denies or removes accreditation from a hospital that it effectively denies federal or state funding to the hospital. But, he also points out that the commission’s position on interpreting is but one of many standards.
“Compliance of a hospital with the new standard promulgated by the Joint Commission regarding hospital encounters with non-English speakers is only one of a multitude of standards that a hospital must meet to remain accredited,” said Burt. “I strongly doubt that failure to comply with this one standard would lead to de-accreditation; almost certainly this failure would lead to a warning of vulnerability by the commission to the hospital and, accordingly, provide a strong incentive for the hospital to bring its activities into compliance.”
Alberto Bonello, creative director at Influential Designs Center for Communications in Hartford, has been using the app since November when Gould did a demo at his open house. Influential Designs is a multi-disciplinary design studio specializing in graphic design, multimedia and marketing.
“It can take your business to another level by communicating with your client in the language they are more comfortable expressing their ideas,” said Bonello. “I will use it to communicate information about my business when I travel or meet someone that has limited knowledge of English.”
Gould feels the sky is the limit as far as SayHi Translate is concerned.
“Our growth targets are extremely aggressive,” Gould said. “We want to be in every hospital, in every medical practice, in every town’s municipal buildings, every courthouse, every federal office, every public transportation vehicle.
