The key differentiating feature of the SimulTel interpreting strategy is the simultaneous nature of the interpreting service. All other interpreting strategies in the industry provide consecutive interpreting. Consecutive interpreting is provided after the speaker finishes a question or statement. This introduces a time lag between what the speaker says and what the listener hears. Simultaneous interpreting is concurrent. A near word-for-word running rendition performed within seconds of the original speech. The most familiar context for simultaneous interpreting is the United Nations, where voice-over interpreting is provided as delegates speak.

Simultaneous interpreting provides key advantages over consecutive interpreting. It:

• Takes much less time;
• Reduces costs;
• Facilitates a natural flow of communication between doctor and patient; and
• Delivers lowered error rates.

Research findings reveal a dramatic improvement in accuracy and substantial time savings using a remote simultaneous medical interpreting service, when compared with consecutive interpreting.

The Office for Civil Rights highlighted our model as an example of promising practices that can help hospitals provide better access to their patients with limited English proficiency.

SimulTel owns exclusive rights to key patents covering simultaneous interpreting. SimulTel’s patented intellectual property is incorporated in the technology that powers its services and solutions.