Somali Focus Group Testimonials
“We have a lot of people [in the Somali community] who struggle with language barriers. That stands in the way of them getting good healthcare. I think Phrazer will reduce that barrier. It’s simple and very easy to use. It will allow Somali patients to easily communicate their medical concerns to their doctor… I think it’s going to break that barrier for the first time.”
--Abdi Ali, Founder and Executive Director of Center for Multicultural Mediation and Restorative Justice
Minneapolis, Minnesota
“It’s an easy way to communicate your information to the system so that the doctors can tell what you are feeling or where you are hurting.”
--Somali focus group participant
Minneapolis, Minnesota
“It’s private, you don’t have to talk through someone. When you use an interpreter you have to share personal information with them. It will be better when it’s just you and the doctor and Phrazer.”
--Somali focus group participant
Minneapolis, Minnesota
“Women don’t feel comfortable discussing certain subjects. Even if you have a woman interpreter and a female doctor. We didn’t grow up in a community where you have open discussion about these things. It would be different if Phrazer was asking these questions; we would feel more comfortable.”
--Somali focus group participant
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Caregiver Testimonials
“It was a great opportunity for Global Brigades to be a part of piloting Phrazer. This machine has great potential for the future in helping healthcare professionals obtain accurate information where language poses a barrier to communicating with patients.”
–Brittany Estok, Honduras Medical Brigades Coordinator, Global Brigades, Inc.
“The Phrazer caregiver summary served as a useful tool for me to compare the information that I was getting from the patient with what she had reported to the triage as her reason for arriving in the clinic.”
–Megan Chock, Mayo Medical School Student
“I was very impressed with the concept behind Phrazer. From a provider perspective, having a tool like Phrazer will provide quick and easy solution to a relatively common problem, i.e. trying to care for a patient who doesn’t speak the same language as you do. Trying to coordinate having an interpreter on-site or access to an interpreter by phone can be very time-consuming. Without good interpretation, it’s exceedingly difficult to provide quality care so this tool will be very helpful.”
–Kyle Kircher, Mayo Clinic Global Medical Brigades Physician