Welcome to Strong Connections
Expert, cost-effective sign language interpreting, for medical settings. A not-for-profit service of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Winner of the 2002 Health Care Advocacy Award from the Healthcare Trustees of New York State.
Strong Connections...
- Improves communication
- Improves outcomes
- Reduces risks

Click here for a sample viewing of remote sign language interpreting via 3 ISDN lines
Strong Connections provides the highest-quality remote sign language interpreting services available.
Designed and managed by professionals in the deaf healthcare field
Strong Connections is a not-for-profit service. It is a joint venture of the University of Rochester Medical Centers Deaf Wellness Center and Strong Memorial Hospitals Interpreter Services Program. Our goal is to help you provide the best quality healthcare for deaf patients and families. Strong Connections promotes a more effective and collaborative relationship between clinicians and deaf consumers, while helping your facility meet its legal obligations regarding interpreter services.
Rochester is home to the largest per capita deaf population in the world. The Interpreter Services Program was established in 1982. Our nationally certified interpreters are experts in meeting the healthcare communication needs of clinicians, deaf patients, and families. What does this mean to you and your patients?
- Better healthcare outcomes. Expert medical interpreting fosters greater information exchange between providers, patients, and families, improving treatment decisions as well as patient participation and adherence to the healthcare plan.
- Greater efficiency. Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patient care is not delayed while searching for interpreters or waiting for them to travel to your facility. The cumbersome, error-prone communication methods of note-writing and lipreading are avoided.
- Enhanced privacy. Our interpreters abide by the code of ethics of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Contact Us
For further information or to subscribe to Strong Connections, contact:
Kathy Miraglia
Strong Connections
601 Elmwood Ave., Box 602
Rochester New York 14642
Phone: Voice (585) 275-9200, TTY (585) 275-0243
Email: StrongConnections@urmc.rochester.edu
Fax: (585) 244-8483
Our Sponsors
Strong Connections gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our sponsors:
NEC Foundation of America
The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.
Rochester Institute of Technology's Executive MBA Program
Contact Us
Dr. Robert Pollard, Director
Strong Connections
601 Elmwood Ave., Box 602
Rochester New York 14642
Phone:
Voice (585) 275-9200
VP/ Voice (585) 286-5041
TTY (585) 275-0243
Fax:
(585) 244-8483




