CALD Assist

 

CALD Assist: Supporting communication with patients from non-English Speaking Backgrounds

CALD Assist™ offers a simple and dynamic way for health care workers to communicate with patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds when an interpreter is not available.

Featuring phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and recorded in 10 common languages (plus English), CALD Assist™ facilitates basic care interactions to support patient care.

CALD Assist™ was developed by Western Health in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) with support from Better Care Victoria, and with previous support from the Victorian Government Technology Innovation Fund.

The award winning CALD Assist™ app now includes COVID-19 screening questions to facilitate communication in COVID-19 Testing Clinics and screening of health service visitors and outpatients. 

FEATURES: 

• 10 common languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Mandarin, Serbian, Spanish and Vietnamese plus English

• Over 200 phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and audio recorded

• Phrases grouped into seven clinical specialties including Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Speech Pathology, Nursing and COVID-19

• Images and video to enhance communication between health care workers and their patients

• Answer options to enable patients to respond to simple questions

• Developed in collaboration with nursing staff, allied health clinicians, infectious diseases specialists, interpreters and patients

• NEW: Now available for use on Apple and Android devices, including smartphones

To access CALD Assist, simply download for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

For further information please contact [email protected].

EVALUATION TRIAL RESULTS

A 3 ½ month evaluation trial was conducted across 4 inpatient wards at Sunshine, Footscray and Williamstown Hospitals during 2017. Results from this trial include:

• Interactions with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds were rated as more successful when the CALD Assist app was used by staff. 

• With use of the CALD Assist app, staff report of ‘confidence’ in patient’s understanding increased. 

• The level of staff frustration was rated lower when the CALD Assist app was used to communicate with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds. 

• The majority of staff and patient participants believe the CALD Assist app is useful to communicate with patients from non-English speaking background. 

• Staff and patients were positive about using the CALD Assist app, and its functionality.

• What did nursing staff and patients say about CALD Assist?

• “…patients feel safer when they know that you are trying to communicate.”

• “…It’s exceptional. Patient was laughing and smiling when using the iPad.” 

• “Brilliant idea- should have come in a long time ago… this will be a saviour for nurses.” 

• “Not too time consuming to use and it's easy.”

• “Trust is privilege and this tool helps us to maintain that trust.”

• “When they (nurse) ask me something and then they show me the iPad and then I understand what they want to ask me. Then I just answer.”- Patient

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Does CALD Assist replace interpreter use?
  No. CALD Assist is designed to assist communication during basic care interactions only, when it is not possible or practical to have an interpreter present.

• How do I know that the phrases in CALD Assist are accurate?
  All phrases in CALD Assist have been translated and independently checked by professional translators. Interpreters at Western Health have then also checked all phrases to ensure that they are accurate.

• How do I download CALD Assist to my tablet or smartphone?
  CALD Assist can be downloaded via the Apple App Store or Google Play for free.

• Can CALD Assist be used on my smartphone? 
  Yes. CALD Assist may be used on either a smartphone or tablet device. A tablet device may be more appropriate to use with patients who are visually impaired

AWARDS

• 2018 iAwards Victoria Merit Certificate (Public Sector and Government)

• 2018 iAwards Pitchfest winner

• 2017 The Health Roundtable Innovations Award 'Improving the Continuum of Care'

• 2015 Health Informatics Society Australia, Branko Cesnik Award for Best Academic/Scientific paper

• 2015 Gold 'Improving health equality and closing the gap', Victorian Public Healthcare Awards

CONTACT

• For more information, or to provide feedback, please contact [email protected]

REFERENCES
Freyne, Jill; Bradford, Dana; Pocock, Courtney; Silvera, David; Harrap, Karen; Brinkmann, Sally. Developing digital facilitation of assessments in the absence of an interpreter: participatory design and feasibility evaluation with allied health groups. JMIR formative research. 2018; 2(1):e1.

Silvera, David; Pocock, Courtney; Bradford, Dana; Donnell, Andrea; Harrap, Karen; Freyne, Jill; et al. CALD Assist – Nursing: Improving Communication in the Absence of Interpreters. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2018; 27(21-22):4168-4178.