May 02, 2017
United Language Group gained new insights into the needs of telehealth clients at this year’s American Telemedicine Association Telehealth 2.0 conference in Orlando, Florida. In particular, the importance of Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) and telehealth technology were key takeaways.
The conference took place April 23-25 and is the largest of its kind. This year, the event brought in 4,500 attendees, roughly 1,000 of which were exhibitors. ULG’s Preston Taylor and Karlynn Billings both attended, and we had a chance to sit down with them to recap this year’s conference.
Both Taylor, a business development manager at ULG, and Billings, ULG’s vice president of business development for over-the-phone interpretation in healthcare, were struck by the interest in language solutions in the telehealth field as well as the role technology continues to play in the industry.
Takeaways – VRI and a Strong Interest in Language Services
Taylor said he learned a good deal about the need for strong interpreters in the healthcare field, and also observed a heightened interest in VRI.
“One huge takeaway for me was the understanding of different processes that still loop back to the same needs. A lot of providers struggle with trying to use bilingual and in-house interpreters and realize that this is an issue that is causing a breakdown in service,” he said.
“Another takeaway would be the need of VRI and simultaneous services, which I would say accounted for about 70 percent of the people that stopped by our booth.”
Billings said she was surprised by the degree to which Enterprise Risk Management systems are integrated in the telehealth field. She, too, noted the high interest in language solutions in the industry.
“(I learned) what a high priority telehealth is for healthcare organizations. There is a high interest in language solutions, particularly VRI,” she said.
Streamlining Client Workflows
ULG attends tradeshows throughout the year in order to keep up on trends and intelligence in the industries it serves. Taylor said that exhibiting at Telehealth 2.0 allowed ULG to showcase services that some healthcare practitioners weren’t aware of.
“I believe it’s important for ULG to attend events like this to not only get our name out there, but to show that we handle clients with complex workflows just like they have. A lot of the people that stopped by the booth didn’t know that a provider was even available to provide some of the services they felt were niche, and it’s just about building that awareness,” he said.
Taylor mentioned ERM integration, simultaneous VRI and website translation and localization as services some conference-goers weren’t aware of ULG offering.
“The integration of systems and streamlining workflows is one of the top goals in healthcare, and we can provide clients a total solution,” added Billings.
Developing Relationships and Insights
ULG has a packed tradeshow schedule ahead, and looks forward to developing new relationships and insights along the way. In less than a week, ULG will be attending the 64th annual Technical Communication Summit put on by the Society for Technical Communication.
ULG will host a happy hour during the Summit. Interested parties can RSVP here.
Taylor said it was exciting to run into Telehealth attendees who recognized ULG’s name and added that booth attendance was strong.
“The attendance at the ULG booth was fantastic. Right off the bat on Sunday, people were stopping as soon as the hall opened and ready to understand what we could provide as an LSP to their organizations,” said Taylor.
“Not only was it very exciting, but it also lets you know that we are carving out a space that has a need and is only growing as our country becomes more diverse.”
Jake Schild
A former newspaper reporter and native Minnesotan, Jake Schild is a staff writer in the marketing department at ULG.
