The Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) project aims to provide marginalized populations with access to care. It is designed to continuously improve access to care and professional services. Measures to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (physical distancing, wearing masks, and restricting visitors) resulted in communication difficulties between healthcare workers and DHH individuals. The masks prevented DHH individuals from being able to lip-read and discern facial expressions. Interpreters and caregivers were unable to access CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal facilities. Given this situation and after analyzing potential constraints and benefits, VRI emerged as the most appropriate solution for the unique pandemic situation. This pilot project involves making the VRI service available to DHH individuals during their ER stay, hospitalization and visits to CIUSSS-EMTL clinics, including COVID-19 screening and vaccination clinics. This new way of doing things has the advantage of allowing multi-site interpretation where the interpreter, health care worker, user and their loved ones can all communicate despite being in different physical locations. In 2019 and 2020, 349 Deaf people used SIVET’s face-to-face services. From January 2021 to May 2022, 384 Deaf people sought treatment at the CIUSSS-EMTL, 120 (31%) of whom used VRI. With the establishment of mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics in March and April 2021 and January 2022, there have been peaks in VRI usage; on average, 64% of interpreting has been done via VRI. In response to COVID-19, the project was launched in Agile mode and fast-tracked beginning in July 2020. VRI usage is exportable to other CIUSSS-EMTL sectors and other institutions and organizations. Client surveys showed a high overall satisfaction rate with the VRI project.
Submitted by Carole Leblanc, Assistant Director – Nursing Branch
Other contributors: Caroline Sévigny, Emergency Coordinator
Fabiola Vancol-Fabre, COVID-19 Screening Clinic Coordinator, Anne Dubé, Assistant Director of the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic, Suzanne Laforest, Executive Director, SIVET
Support from the telehealth team: Maude Beaupré, DSI Department Head, Pascal Robichaud, Telehealth Technology Co-pilot, Hamida Ourari, DSI Administrative Officer, Nancy Lajeunesse, DSI Emergency Management Advisor, Sylvie Leclerc, DSI Ophthalmology Clinic Executive, Jocelyn Bisson, DSM Executive Advisor, Darline Tchouanmo, DRT Computer Analyst, Miré Saralta, DQÉPÉ Executive Advisor and Anne-Marie Brunet, APPR, Telehealth Clinic Co-pilot
