Language Is No Barrier With On-Demand Interpreting

TAMPA, FL--(Marketwire - Aug 27, 2012) - The corporation that revolutionized interpretative services for the deaf is now doing the same in hospitals with new On-Demand Interpreting by Stratus Video (www.stratusvideo.com).

"It's the first interpreter available literally any time for hospital doctors and staff," says CEO Sean Belanger. "We provide interpreters in 30 seconds or less."

The service, which launched in mid-summer, is in use at a number of hospitals, including Stanford Medical Center in California; Health First in Florida; and Iowa Health System in Iowa. It provides Spanish and American Sign Language interpreters, and will offer up to 10 languages by the end of the year, Belanger says.

Innovation has been the hallmark of Stratus Video's parent company, CSDVRS, since 2007, when Belanger took the helm and moved it to Clearwater. It created ZVRS, the nation's first 24/7 on-demand video interpretation service for the deaf, providing live American Sign Language interpretation on mobile phones and other devices.

ZVRS is now used in government agencies and businesses across the country, including the Social Security Administration, Boeing Corp. and Wal-Mart.

"We went from 15 employees in 2007 to more than 500 today, and $15 million in revenue to a projected $50 million this year," Belanger says. "Sixty-five percent of employees are deaf or hard of hearing."

Belanger was recently named CEO of the Year by the National Association of the Deaf.

Now, CSDVRS is bringing what it has learned to hospitals. Last year, it launched Stratus Video to focus on customizing its video remote interpreting services for use in situations where delays or glitches could have life-threatening consequences.

"We have 26 call centers around the country, so if there's a hurricane in Florida, you'll still get a live interpreter," Belanger says. "We process 40,000 video calls a day and we answer every single call."

"This is a great, thriving company in sunny Clearwater that is changing lives, and that's an incredibly fun thing to be a part of," Belanger says.

About Sean Belanger

Sean Belanger is chief executive officer of Clearwater, Fla.-based CSDVRS, an Inc. 5000 company and parent company of Stratus Video, of which he is also CEO. A graduate of Virginia Tech, he has 30 years' experience in the technology industry. He previously served as CEO of the Paradyne Networks and general manager of 3Coms'network service provider division.