UMass Memorial Health (UMMH) has integrated a language interpretation application into its Epic EHR to provide on-demand access to a network of 20,000 medical interpreters for more than 240 languages.
The LanguageLine-based SMART-on-FHIR application is integrated directly into the Epic charting application widely used for patient appointments, which the company says streamlines processes and improves care for diverse populations in the areas of UMMH service.
As of 2023, patients at Worcester, Massachusetts-based UMMH spoke 108 different languages, requiring more than six million minutes of interpretation. LanguageLine Solutions says its app simplifies the process of connecting with an interpreter and ensures accurate, automated data collection for billing, compliance audits and reimbursement opportunities, allowing clinicians to focus solely on the care plan and outcomes. of the patient.
Integration with Epic allows sessions to be encrypted and documented in the EHR, which provides a record of the patient’s interpretation history. For UMMH, LanguageLine said it developed a flexible method that allows the health system’s technology team to configure and make changes to the integration on their own.
“We are pleased to offer this new resource to help create a better care experience for our patients, while improving the efficiency of our clinical teams,” said Eric Alper, MD, chief quality officer and chief clinical informatics officer at UMMH, it’s a statement. “Advances in this area support our mission to improve health equity through our technological capabilities and the care we provide to our communities.”
A single click from Epic’s Haiku, Canto, or Rover app automatically launches the LanguageLine app with patient information and preferred language already selected. Connecting with a LanguageLine interpreter typically takes less than 15 seconds, the company said. Video and audio formats are offered only and no appointment is required. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
After an interpreting session is complete, LanguageLine writes key data, including the requested language, call duration, and interpreter ID, to clinical notes, flow sheets, and other data storage locations in Epic, automating a process that physicians had previously completed manually. Incorporating this interpreter session history into a patient’s record helps providers ensure compliance with the regulations outlined in Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
“The integration of Epic is a testament to the power of partnership,” LanguageLine President and CEO Scott W. Klein said in a statement. “Not only was this a close collaboration between UMMH’s technology team and ours, but we spent considerable time interviewing doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff to better understand the workflow involved in caring for limited English-speaking patients. or who are deaf or have difficulty breathing.
UMass Memorial Health is the largest nonprofit health system in central Massachusetts with 17,000 employees and 2,100 physicians. Its system includes UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Health – Harrington, UMass Memorial Health – HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, UMass Memorial Health – Marlborough Hospital, UMass Memorial Health – Community Healthlink and UMass Memorial Medical Group.
