Voyce, Hamilton Health Sciences and OBIO® Showcase Breakthrough in Patient Care Through Language Access Technology
Partnership exemplifies the power of technology-enabled accessible language services in healthcare, ensuring patients receive care in their language of choice.
April 23, 2024 (Hamilton, ON) – In a significant advancement for patient care, Voyce, a leading provider of real-time medical interpretation services, together with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), is proud to announce their successful collaboration in enhancing communication for non-English speaking patients.
Voyce was adopted with the support of OBIO’s Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence after a successful evaluation was completed through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) program. These interpretation services ensure that every patient, regardless of their native language, receives the care and understanding they deserve.
OBIO® evaluates new technologies through EAHN™ and implements successful solutions using critical technologies through the LSCTC Centre of Excellence. EAHN™ is supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and LSCTC is supported by the Government of Ontario.
“OBIO® continues to provide vital supports for our health tech leaders that enable innovators to advance new and groundbreaking healthcare technologies. Strengthening our healthcare institutions and healthcare technologies will lead to better outcomes and care for Canadians,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
“Our government is proud to support the development and commercialization of critical technologies in our growing life sciences sector,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Thank you, Voyce and Hamilton Health Sciences, for your leadership in implementing cutting-edge medical technology to enhance patient care and for producing life-saving solutions celebrated across the world.”
Through Voyce’s state-of-the-art platform that integrates 5G technology, HHS will be able to offer remote video and audio interpretation services in over 240 languages, including sign language, to support effective communication between patients and their care providers.
“The availability of Voyce’s platform is a huge step forward in helping Hamilton Health Sciences provide better access to healthcare for all patients. The ease of access to hundreds of languages and sign language in near real-time is a major enabler for the exchange of vital health information between patients and their care providers,” shared Ted Scott, Vice President of Innovation and Partnerships at Hamilton Health Sciences. “Voyce ensures that everyone in the room is on the same page when it comes to understanding a patient’s needs and plan of care. The platform is also being extended into the hospital’s research and education activities so that we can better understand the healthcare needs of our non-English speaking community. We are thankful to OBIO® for helping us accelerate the adoption and implementation of this technology at HHS.”
This partnership, facilitated by the EAHN™ and LSCTC programs, fosters the adoption and evaluation of new health technologies across Canada, and marks a pivotal step in deploying technology solutions that cater to Canada’s diverse linguistic landscape.
“The adoption of the Voyce platform exemplifies the power of innovation in bridging language barriers and ensuring equitable access to healthcare for everyone,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “By supporting the integration of Voyce’s real-time interpretation services at Hamilton Health Sciences, we are fostering a more inclusive healthcare system in Ontario.”
The importance of this initiative cannot be overstated; it offers profound benefits including improved patient comprehension, satisfaction, and outcomes. At the click of a button, patients, nurses, and doctors can access a medically qualified human interpreter through Voyce devices within HHS’ facilities.
“By prioritizing patient-centered language and cultural competence, our interpreters play an integral role in upholding our partners’ commitment to providing equitable and inclusive healthcare services,” said Andrew Royce, CEO of Voyce. “Our commitment to quality education supports our partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences on our mutual goal of enhancing patient care and serving as a model for excellence in healthcare interpretation across Ontario.”
By enabling language-accessible care, this initiative not only respects but also embraces the Hamilton region’s diverse patient population of 2.3 million, ensuring that every patient feels heard, understood, and valued.
“We aim to have Voyce in all patient-facing areas across HHS,” said Tim Dietrich, Vice President, Quality and Performance at Hamilton Health Sciences. “It is currently available in all in-patient, emergency and diagnostic imaging areas, and we are planning for implementation in all ambulatory settings. So far, our teams and patients have utilized Voyce more than 9,000 times accessing 85 distinct languages and dialects.”
This partnership between Voyce and HHS, championed by OBIO’s EAHN™ and LSCTC programs, represents a step forward for healthcare inclusivity in Canada. By prioritizing effective communication, this initiative ensures that everyone, regardless of language, receives the quality care they need and deserve.
About Hamilton Health Sciences
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is a community of 18,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers that proudly serves southwestern Ontario residents. HHS also provides specialized, advanced care to people from across the province.
It is the only hospital in Ontario that cares for all ages, from pre-birth to end-of-life. HHS offers world-leading expertise in many areas, including cardiac and stroke care, cancer care, palliative care and pediatrics.
About OBIO®
Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.
For more information, please visit obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X.
About Voyce
Voyce is a technology-driven company deeply committed to helping people in need facing language barriers, enabling them to communicate and get help when they need it the most. Voyce’s professional and qualified language interpreters provide medical interpretation across a variety of technology and telehealth platforms in 240+ languages and dialects, including American Sign Language. Across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and globally, Voyce supports millions of conversations each year, giving patients and providers the confidence to communicate effectively.
For more information visit www.voyceglobal.com and follow Voyce on LinkedIn.
Contacts:
Wendy Stewart
Communications Advisor
Hamilton Health Sciences
stewartwen@hhsc.ca
Liam Afonso
Creative Director
Voyce
liam.afonso@voyceglobal.com
Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca
Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca