Today is a Milestone Day in the lives of Medical Interpreters #interpreters #NatBoardCMI #imianews February 23, 2012

Today is a milestone day in the lives of medical interpreters and the healthcare professionals and patients they serve.

Today the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (National Board), the certifying body for Certification for Medical Interpreters (CMI), merged with the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) and has completed the process of applying for national accreditation.*

As one of its co-founders, I am very excited about the merger of the National Board as part of the International Medical Interpreters Association – the oldest association of interpreters in the nation.

It has been a long journey since 2007 when I, along with Jeanette Anders, Linda Joyce, and members of the Language Line Services team, first stepped up and urged that all stakeholders come together in the mission of developing a national standard for medical interpreters.

That year we funded the first annual National Medical Interpreter Certification forum in Boston on May 1, 2007 and invited all to put aside their differences and come together and work toward that mission.

Language Line University offered its expertise in test development and certification and the first formal public/private partnership was developed between Language Line Services, IMIA under the leadership of past president Izabel Arocha, and PSI, Inc., a leading national test development organization and its team of pyschometricians.

In 2008 we funded and added to the partnership a lobbying and advocacy government relations firm in Washington DC.  We also funded the nation’s first rally for certification, recognition of professional interpreters and reimbursement to hospitals that worked with professional interpreters to ensure patient safety and quality care through effective communication.

It was also in 2008 that Orlin Marquez of the Medical Interpreter Network of Georgia (MING) became a voice that led to the mission of “yes we can in 2009″ by putting forth a call to action to develop the test and pilot it by the next May 1st convening in 2009. We took that challenge seriously and made it happen.

This journey was not without challenge and roadblocks but we always delivered on our commitments.

We said that once Certification for Medical Interpreters was developed, we would form an independent Board to oversee implementation and become the certifying body. This was accomplished through a national open call and was formalized in October, 2009.

In 2010, Oregon became the first state to adopt The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters as its standard, and provided funding for development of the next five languages which has now concluded the piloting phase and will be released and available this year.

Language Line Services said that once the operational side was stable, we would step back and turn the reins over to the field, and we did.

After an investment of close to $2 million dollars, we naturally wanted to ensure the test and its integrity and security would be protected. Again, we are now honoring that commitment.

After 3 years of partnership, we are convinced that the IMIA has the infrastructure and leadership to carry this forward to the next chapter.

The IMIA will provide the direction, support, and the “voice of the interpreter” to ensure the continued success and growth of the National Board’s interpreter credentials and expansion.

We, at Language Line Services, applaud this exciting next step on the road to recognition of the valuable role played by medical interpreters in the patient safety agenda.

I would like to extend my personal thanks and gratitude to the many wonderful individuals and associations who played a part in this journey.

Every speaker, every forum participant, every planning committee member, every interpreter and every hospital that followed and participated along the way.

From the state associations, sponsors and supporters, to the language service companies (yes, including our competitors) that joined us at the table.

To those who participated in surveys, pilots, focus groups, to the selection committee for the National Board, to the members past and present of the National Board, to the Facebook fans –all 1,300+ of you, and every one out there who ever shared a post and helped increase awareness.

To those that maintained neutrality when it was not the popular thing to do, and to those interpreters that stand tall as Certified Medical Interpreters (“CMI”).

I applaud you all and hope you will join me for a piece of celebratory cake on April 30, 2012 at the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa Oklahoma!

Today’s announcement is a giant step toward the next chapter of medical interpreting and in demonstrating our commitment to the field.  We at Language Line Services are very grateful to have taken part in this era of interpreter history and professionalism.

No matter the challenge, if it is the right thing to do we will always support the field and, as we have demonstrated along each path of this journey, we will always honor our commitments.

Yes we can, and we did!

With best regards,

Louis F. Provenzano, Jr.

President & CEO

Language Line Services

To view the press release click on the link below:

* http://www.seopressreleases.com/national-board-certification-medical-interpreters-merges-imia-applies-accreditation/35912

To view videos in the launch:

National Medical Interpretation Rally May 1, 2010

http://vodpod.com/watch/3619974-national-medical-interpretation-rally-may-1-2010?u=louisprovenzano&c=louisprovenzano

National Medical Interpreter Certification Rally Video – April 30, 2010

http://vodpod.com/watch/3620026-national-medical-interpreter-certification-rally-video-april-30-2010?u=louisprovenzano&c=louisprovenzano