Progress toward a National Medical Interpreter Certification Continues with Establishment of Independent Governing Board and Certification Web Site

National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters and www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org provide oversight and give medical interpreters ownership of the certification process

MONTEREY, CA – (March 31, 2009) – In a continuation of the efforts by the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) and Language Line® University to launch a joint National Medical Interpreter Certification, the two industry leaders, along with other third-party supporters, today announced the establishment of the “National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters” to provide independent oversight for the certification process.

Correspondingly, a new Web site, www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org will house all information regarding National Medical Interpreter Certification and provide an online center for medical interpreters to begin the certification process.

The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters is a non-profit organization, formed from an independent group of industry professionals that represent all key stakeholder groups including professional medical interpreters, trainers, employers, and regulators. 

The Board will serve as the certifying entity and will be given independent authority over all essential certification decisions.  In addition, to avoid conflicts of interest between certification and education functions, the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters will not be responsible for accreditation of educational or training programs or courses of study leading to the certification.

The formation and structure of the National Board of Certification will adhere to the standards and requirements mandated by the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA.)

“Because National Medical Interpreter Certification is critically important to so many in our industry, it is equally essential that the certification process be open to all with oversight from industry peers so that, in effect, it is medical interpreters who own the process,” said Language Line Services’ President and COO Louis Provenzano. 

“We have been very pleased by the number of individuals from across the industry that have already become involved in the certification effort through participation in our National Job Analysis Survey, which included input from more than1,500 interpreters,  and both hope for and  welcome  continued involvement  from all stakeholders on this effort,” Provenzano added.

Medical Interpreters and other industry stakeholders who want to get involved with the Board or other initiatives related to the launch of National Medical Interpreter Certification themselves, can do so through www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org. 

The new Web site will also serve as a clearing house for all information related to the current time line for the launch of the National Medical Interpreter Certification and will eventually be an online center for medical interpreters to become nationally certified.  

“The establishment of the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters and the launch of its official Web site www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org are just two of the tools we are using to ensure our certification program is inclusive, transparent and a truly multi-organization collaboration,” said Izabel Arocha, President of the International Medical Interpreters Association. “The certification process also includes partnership with a testing company to proctor and administer the National Board Exams and, most importantly, survey feedback from medical interpreter focus groups currently working in the field.”

“Having witnessed first-hand the essential role medical interpreters play in the delivery of quality health care, I am very encouraged by the progress being made toward National Medical Interpreter Certification,” said Jordan Coriza, Coordinator of Interpreter and Translation Services with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

“Even more impressive is the care that is being taken to ensure all stakeholders have an opportunity to be involved in this landmark process and I look forward to playing my part in this effort,” Coriza added.

About IMIA

The International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) is committed to the advancement of professional medical interpreters as the best practice for equitable language access to health care for linguistically diverse patients worldwide. Founded in 1986, it is comprised of over 1,900 members, and is the oldest and largest medical interpreter association in the world. While representing medical interpreters as the ultimate experts in the medical interpreting field, associate membership to the IMIA is open to multidisciplinary groups interested in medical interpreting, language access, and international human rights in health care. IMIA (www.imiaweb.org) has divisions of providers, corporate members, trainers and interpreters in over 100 languages.

About Language Line® University

Language Line® University is the globally recognized interpreter testing, training and certification division of Language Line Services, the leading provider of language-based services and solutions. Language Line University provides interpreter training, as well as an externally validated test in 170 languages, and Certification of Medical Interpreters (CMI), currently available in 22 languages. It also offers Court Certification in 15 languages. Language Line University’s testing; training and certification have proved to be valuable, credible and dependable tools used by health care organizations and interpreters nationwide and in Canada to ensure that the language access services they provide to their patients and community are of the highest quality. For more information, visit www.languageLine.com/llu, email LLU@languageline.com, or call 1-877-351-6636.