Bluewater Health Now Offers On-Demand Interpretation Services with Voyce

SARNIA & PETROLIA – September 20, 2022 – Patients, families and staff of Bluewater Health will now gain easier access to interpretation services—all through an app providing service 24-hours-a-day and seven days a week. Voyce, a technology-driven company, is enabling seamless communication between providers and patients through language interpreter services.  

In 2021, 773 Bluewater Health patients reported their preferred language as other than English or French. According to the most recent census data, nearly 7% of Sarnia-Lambton residents report their primary language as other than English or French. Bluewater Health’s partnership with Voyce will improve access to care for those who require interpretation services in the Sarnia-Lambton community.

“We have a growing and diverse population in Sarnia-Lambton, and it is imperative that Bluewater Health continue to provide equitable care in our community,” says Shannon Landry, Chief Nursing Executive and VP, Clinical Support Services. “We know that utilizing Voyce will improve our ability to communicate easily, safely and effectively with patients who do not speak English or French as their primary language.”

The on-demand app offers remote video and audio interpretation in more than 240 languages, including American Sign Language and Indigenous languages such as Cree and Ojibway. Non-English or French speaking patients and hospital staff can connect with a remote interpreter via app instantaneously. The interpreters who connect with healthcare providers and patients are certified and well-equipped in medical expertise to ensure accurate and safe interpretation for healthcare settings.

“Bringing this platform to our community will not only aid in providing a welcoming and comfortable setting for care planning with patients and families, but it will also help to remove those language barriers and hesitations that some people face when entering a hospital,” says Landry. “The speed and quality of service that Voyce provides will be a major asset as we continue to meet Sarnia-Lambton’s diverse population needs.”

“Language barriers persist in Canada, especially in the hospital setting where non-English and French speaking patients are faced with seeking care in places where they don’t speak the language.” said Andrew Royce, CEO of Voyce. “Voyce is dedicated making healthcare more accessible with immediate care through human connection.”

Bluewater Health is the first hospital in Southwestern Ontario and among the first in Canada to adopt this state-of-the-art technology, joining hospitals like Ottawa’s CHEO and Kitchener’s St. Mary’s Hospital.

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