Limited English Speaking Patients Closer to Being Guaranteed Quality, Equitable Healthcare

National Certification for Medical Interpreters Launches; Inaugural Members of the National Board of Medical Interpreters to Oversee Certification Announced

Washington, DC - (October 12, 2009) - Patients in the United States with limited English proficiency (LEP) continue to face language barriers that threaten their health and undermine their well-being. But today they are one step closer to quality, equitable healthcare with the launch of the first National Certification for Medical Interpreters.

A culmination of a 20-year effort that included stakeholders from across the industry, this first of its kind national interpreting standard provides professional interpreters working in the medical field with the opportunity to be tested and credentialed as "Certified Medical Interpreter" (CMI).

Read the rest of this news release here >>

Links for current information about the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters

• Facebook- National Medical Interpreter Certification


• Twitter-NatboardCMI http://twitter.com/natboardcmi


• LinkedIn: National Certification for Medical Interpreters


• Website: National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters http://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org

Medical interpreters can get certification

American Medical Association News in Brief - Oct. 26, 2009

"Professionals who help patients with limited English proficiency communicate with doctors and nurses have the option of becoming certified medical interpreters.

"The certification, announced in October, is being offered by a new nonprofit entity, the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters. The first certification, available now, is for Spanish interpreters; certification in other languages is expected next year.

"The board is made up of 12 leaders in the medical and interpreting industries, including Eric Hardt, MD, a physician at the Boston Medical Center.

"It is our mission to ensure that the certification process is credible, transparent, valid and inclusive, and protects the interest of all stakeholders that can be impacted by certification," he said.

"Research has shown that patients with limited English proficiency are at an increased risk for poor quality care and medical mistakes."

In Other Word's editor note:

The 12 member inaugural board includes:

• Jeanette Anders, Manager of Health Care Strategic Initiatives, Language Line University, AZ
• Elizabeth Chegezy, medical interpreter and educator, PA
• Martin J. Conroy, Senior Manager Public Sector Initiatives, Language Line Services, NY


• Karina Craig, Program Manager, CIIC Comunidad Integrada-Integrated Community, CO
• Joel Dougherty, Chief Operating Officer, OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc., NE
• Eric Hardt, MD, Physician, Boston Medical Center, MA


• Elena Langdon, medical interpreter and Supervisor of Interpreter and Translation Services, Baystate Health, MA
• Nelva Lee, Ph.D., President, The Medical Interpreting and Translation Institute Online( MITIO) and IMIA Certification Committee, GA
• Theo Oshiro, Director of Health Advocacy, Make the Road New York, NY


• Inna Persists-Gimelberg, Linguistic Programs Manager, Culture Insight at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, MA
• Alvaro Vergara-Mery, Ph.D. staff interpreter, University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, and IMIA Nevada State Representative, Nevada
• Rita Weil, Ph.D. medical interpreter and educator, PA

Each month we'll share an organization's website that stands out with quality...

...up to date content for all who serve limited English speakers and their respective communities.

We kick off this new feature with a spotlight on DiversityPreparedness.org and its National Resource Center.

The mission of the Center is...

"to serve as a central clearinghouse of resources and an information exchange portal to facilitate communication, networking and collaboration to improve preparedness, build resilience and eliminate disparities for culturally diverse communities across all phases of an emergency."

As you'll see when you visit, this is truly a "resource of resources", with key components like:

• A catalog of annotated and cross-referenced resources, programs and projects by a range of topics, languages, and communities.


• Links to full-text sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles, training and education content, resource guides, measurement and evaluation tools, translated materials and other publications.


• Links to federal, state and local government, as well as private sector, academic and community-based programs and websites devoted to preparing culturally diverse populations for emergencies.


• Coming Soon! An online discussion forum for the exchange of ideas and information, including experiences, lessons learned, promising practices and strategies, success stories, new resources, innovations, policies, and events.


• Coming Soon! An online member directory of experts and professionals working to integrate culturally diverse communities across into preparedness planning and action.


• And much more!

Visit their website, and while you're there, take a look at their archive of recent newsletters...

...and their current issue here (you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader).

This site is a combined project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Drexel University School of Public Health Center for Health Equality

We hope you enjoy our first featured resource of the month. Let us know at healthletter@languageline.com. Thanks!

Parkland Health answers call for diverse interpretation services

October 28, 2009 - By Dan Bowman

A 40 percent increase in the demand for interpretation services over the last two years was a driving factor in Parkland Health & Hospital System's installation of Language LineŽ Phones in every patient room.

The Dallas, Texas-based hospital system hopes to improve care to patients and "contain costs" with its newest addition, according to Deborah Moore, Director of Patient.

"Parkland is dedicated to the health and well-being of our patients, no matter what languages they speak," Moore said. "Over the phone interpretation is a critical link in the communications chain."

Read the rest of this FierceHealthCare.com story here >> as well as...

Parkland Health & Hospital System Expands Language Access with Language Line Phones in Every Patient Room

Dallas, TX -- October 28, 2009 -- Parkland Health & Hospital System is responding to the growing needs of limited English speaking patients by expanding its language access program to include approximately 1,000 Language LineŽ Phones in patient rooms and other locations throughout Parkland Memorial Hospital.

The unique, quick-dial, dual-handset phones from Language Line Services, the leading interpretation and translation provider, are used to facilitate three-way communications between medical providers, limited English speaking patients, and medical interpreters in more than 175 languages.

Read the rest of this joint news release from Parkland Health and Language Line Services >>

Learn more about the dual-handset, quick-dial Language Line Phone, including the "Speak Pink" version, proceeds of which benefit the American Breast Cancer Foundation.

Hundreds of participants recently attended the 2009 IMIA International Conference on Medical Interpreting in Cambridge, MA, October 9th though 11th.

Held at The Hyatt by the Charles River, the hotel was packed with conference attendees enjoying the beautiful venue.

The positive grassroots energy for medical interpreter certification was evident to all and the keynote speakers were excellent, and truly inspiring.

Key events of the conference dedicated to "Global Perspectives on Professional Medical Interpreters", included:

• Introduction of the 12 members of the National Board for Certification of Medical Interpreters,


• The National Medical Interpreter Certification officially announced.


• And guest speaker Kate Auspitz, representative of Congressman Michael E. Capuano, expressing Capuano's admiration and gratitude for the work professional medical interpreters do"

The IMIA Raquel Cashman Language Access Award

Then Izabel Arocha, IMIA President (pictured above), presented The IMIA Raquel Cashman Language Access Award to Louis F. Provenzano, President and COO, Language Line Services and his company, the first time the award was ever presented to an organization.

The Award was established in 1993 by the International Medical Interpreters Association, in memory of Raquel Cashman, Director of the Interpreters Department at Boston Medical Center, and the initial founding member of the Board of Directors of the IMIA.

Raquel Cashman was an impassioned advocate for medical interpreting and LEP patient rights. This annual award perpetuates the enduring contributions of this health care and community leader by recognizing the achievements of individuals (and now organizations) who have made significant and lasting contributions to improving patient safety and language access in health care, and individuals who, through a specific initiative or project, have made an important contribution to the medical interpreter field at a national or international level.

More Conference Information

For those who were not able to attend, you will soon be able to see the 2009 presentations posted on IMIA's website, in the conference section.

Additional information can be found on the IMIA website here or you may write to info@imiaweb.org.

• Hear presentations on latest national lobbying updates
• Receive training on how to advocate
• Be the voice of the LEP patient in Washington, DC
• Come with us to your Senators and Representatives offices, we need you!

Attention! Providers, State Representatives, Interpreters, Associations, Trainers, Educators & other stakeholders. Register now to ensure a seat.

This year's May 1st Forum was full capacity! There is NO FEE to attend this important annual, multi-stakeholder event.

Register now!

Selected News of the Month

• Parkland Health & Hospital System Expands Language Access with Language Line Phones in Every Patient Room


• Language Line Services' - Cross-Cultural Update for October 2009. Useful Cultural News, Tips and Timely Information


• Limited English Speaking Patients Closer to Being Guaranteed Quality, Equitable Healthcare; National Certification for Medical Interpreters Launches

Read more Language Line Services news here >>

Enroll Now!

December 6-9, 2009 - The Institute of Healthcare Improvement's National Forum is the premier conference for people committed to the mission of improving health care.

This annual event draws nearly 6,000 health care professionals from around the world in person and thousands more via satellite broadcast.

Visit this Web page to learn more and to register for the 21st Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care.

Language Line Services, the leader in language interpretation, is seeking to increase its interpreter team in many languages.

Among other positions, we are now hiring experienced, professional face-to-face medical interpreters!

Our experienced, on-site medical interpreters provide consecutive interpretation, have educated native fluency in two languages and are highly skilled in the cultural dynamics of the languages they interpret.

If you have native fluency in English and another language, at least one year of medical interpreting experience, are trained and/or certified as a medical interpreter and have excellent customer service skills, then apply online at www.LanguageLine.com/careers.

Are you interested in becoming an over-the-phone interpreter?

If you have excellent proficiency in English, with strong listening and comprehension skills as well as good customer service skills, you can become an interpreter for Language Line Services.

Visit www.languageline.com/careers.

View the "How to Become an Interpreter" Video.

Then, click on "Apply Today" under "interpreter Careers" OR "Corporate Careers" and follow the directions.

Here's what one valued client recently said about one of Language Line Services' excellent interpreters:

"...interpreter #6100 for Farsi was fantastic... We had a very difficult client that your interpreter made so easy for me. Thank you..."

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