Research has shown that minorities and vulnerable populations are more likely to be readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of discharge for any condition, and that Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals may be at greater risk for medical errors, longer lengths of hospital stay and avoidable readmission when trained language interpreters are not used. All these factors greatly impact the quality and cost of health care services (Lindholm, et al).
With the growing number of U.S. residents who speak a language other than English, there is an increasing demand for qualified interpreters in the healthcare sector. Medical interpreting training is a key strategy to improve the quality of healthcare and services. Gulfcoast South AHEC’s Medical Interpreting Training includes a comprehensive 40-hour course that meets the training requirement to apply for National Certification and a 16-hour course geared to train bilingual employees on the basics of Medical Interpreting.
