The New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), New Jersey's oldest and largest non-profit trade association dedicated to hospitals and their patients, has launched a strategic partnership with Language Access Network (LAN) to introduce the benefits of providing live Video Medical Interpreting services for their members' patients and healthcare providers.

New Jersey is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse states in the country. With more than 100 languages spoken in the Garden State, about 1 million residents are unable to speak English well and more than 165,000 do not speak English at all. For hospitals and their patients, clear communication is essential for ensuring quality healthcare and successful outcomes.

LAN and its state-of-the-art platform, Martti(TM) (My Accessible Real-Time Trusted Interpreter), ensure that Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing patients have equal access to clear, concise communication with those there to care for them.

Although LAN's medical interpreting services are accessible utilizing a facility's existing equipment, its flagship wireless Martti devices provide easy access at the touch of a button to instantly connect patients and providers to LAN medical interpreters via live audio and video. More than 210 languages are available, with nearly 60 of those in live video, including American Sign Language.

"LAN is uniquely positioned to help our New Jersey member hospitals continue to enhance quality care for their patients," explains NJHA Senior Vice President Michael Guerriero. "Video remote interpreting takes the patient encounter to a superior and enhanced level and will become increasingly more popular as providers and patients communicate more effectively with each other."

LAN interpreters are solely focused on healthcare and are available 24/7 in dedicated, HIPAA-compliant LAN language centers throughout the country. As the first in the industry to require certification of its medical interpreters, LAN interpreters are highly trained and held to the utmost standards of professionalism and innovation through ongoing training.

"Language access is a matter of national importance. Effective communication is a critical aspect of safe, quality patient care," explains James Edwards, LAN's CEO. "Not only does it improve patient satisfaction, but reduces risk and drives more efficient delivery of services for hospitals."

NJHA members will have access to benefits ranging from discounted rates to educational webinars designed by LAN exclusively for NJHA.