Many health and social care services are implementing video remote interpreting (VRI) to deal with supply shortages and high costs of language interpreting for linguistically diverse clients. This qualitative study examines stakeholders’ perspectives on using VRI for home-based cognitive assessments, which are routinely performed with older people during aged care assessments in Australia. We conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with clients, assessors and interpreters in Melbourne and a regional Victorian city. We found that across stakeholder groups participants usually regard VRI as an acceptable alternative to face-to-face interpreting when the latter is not possible. Freelance interpreters said VRI saved on travel time and expenditure and afforded them financial and practical benefits that enabled them to better meet the high demand for their work. However, stakeholders also pointed to the limitations of VRI, including technical challenges, sound and video quality, and difficulties with positioning equipment optimally during interviews. The assessors and interpreters agreed that VRI was inappropriate when clients are known to be cognitively impaired, and that face-to-face interpreting is necessary to support these clients and ensure assessment accuracy. We suggest that plans by health or social care services to replace face-to-face interpreting with VRI should be balanced against the needs of clients and any impacts on professional practice.

中文翻译：

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用于家庭认知评估的视频远程口译

许多健康和社会保健服务正在实施视频远程口译 (VRI)，以应对语言多样化客户的语言口译供应短缺和高昂成本。这项定性研究考察了利益相关者对使用 VRI 进行家庭认知评估的看法，这些评估在澳大利亚的老年护理评估期间经常对老年人进行。我们在墨尔本和一个维多利亚地区城市对客户、评估员和口译员进行了 25 次半结构化访谈。我们发现，在利益相关者群体中，当后者不可能时，参与者通常将 VRI 视为面对面口译的可接受替代方案。兼职口译员表示，VRI 节省了旅行时间和开支，并为他们提供了经济和实际利益，使他们能够更好地满足工作的高需求。然而，利益相关者也指出了 VRI 的局限性，包括技术挑战、声音和视频质量，以及在采访期间最佳定位设备的困难。评估员和口译员一致认为，当已知客户存在认知障碍时，VRI 是不合适的，并且需要面对面的口译来支持这些客户并确保评估的准确性。我们建议，卫生或社会保健服务机构用 VRI 代替面对面口译的计划应该与客户的需求和对专业实践的任何影响相平衡。包括技术挑战、声音和视频质量，以及在采访期间最佳定位设备的困难。评估员和口译员一致认为，当已知客户存在认知障碍时，VRI 是不合适的，并且需要面对面的口译来支持这些客户并确保评估的准确性。我们建议，卫生或社会保健服务机构用 VRI 代替面对面口译的计划应该与客户的需求和对专业实践的任何影响相平衡。包括技术挑战、声音和视频质量，以及在采访期间最佳定位设备的困难。评估员和口译员一致认为，当已知客户存在认知障碍时，VRI 是不合适的，并且需要面对面的口译来支持这些客户并确保评估的准确性。我们建议，卫生或社会保健服务机构用 VRI 代替面对面口译的计划应该与客户的需求和对专业实践的任何影响相平衡。并且面对面的口译对于支持这些客户并确保评估的准确性是必要的。我们建议，卫生或社会保健服务机构用 VRI 代替面对面口译的计划应该与客户的需求和对专业实践的任何影响相平衡。并且面对面的口译对于支持这些客户并确保评估的准确性是必要的。我们建议，卫生或社会保健服务机构用 VRI 代替面对面口译的计划应该与客户的需求和对专业实践的任何影响相平衡。