Certification Commission for Healthcare...

Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters

2010: National Certification for Healthcare Interpreters

Mara Youdelman, CCHI Chair

QHCDP Conf. – Oct. 19, 2010www.healthcareinterpretercertification.org

LEP Demographics

www.healthcareinterpretercertification.org

• Over 55 million people speak a language other than English at home (an increase of 8 million since 2000) and 19.7% of the population.

• Over 25 million (9 % of the population and an increase of 3 million from 2000) speak English less than “very well,” and may be considered LEP.

• Who is LEP?– A person who is unable to speak, read, write or understand

the English language at a level that permits him/her to interact effectively with health and social service agencies and providers

2

American Community Survey, 2007, Table B16001. LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT

HOME BY ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS

AND OVER - Universe: POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER

Treating LEP Patients


• 80% of hospitals encounter LEP patients frequently – 63% daily/weekly; 17% monthly

• 81% of general internal physicians treat LEP patients frequently – 54% at least once a day or a few times a week; 27% a few times per month

• 84% of FQHCs provide clinical services daily to LEP patients – 45% see more than ten patients a day; 39% see from one to 10 LEP patients a day

3Source: Reports commissioned by NHeLP from AHA/HRET, ACP, NACHC;

available at www.healthlaw.org

http://www.healthlaw.org/

Language Barriers and Medical Errors


• Report from the National Health Law Program, available at www.healthlaw.org– 2.5% of one carrier’s malpractice claims involved language

issues

– $5 million in damages, legal fees and settlements

• $71 million settlement in FL case for young man rendered quadriplegic

• A 6-week-old infant was admitted for a barbiturate overdose caused by a 10-fold medication dosing error by an LEP mother who did not understand the outpatient dosing instructions available only in English.

4

http://www.healthlaw.org/

Now Is The Time


• CCHI is the answer to 20 years of conversations and requests in the field for “one voice, one set of industry-formed standards, and an assurance of competency through an accredited, professional certification program”

• Created by interpreters, for interpreters and the public good

• Involving interpreters, their employers/contractors, and users of interpreter services in defining their future and the credentials by which interpreters will be known and respected

• Bringing together the necessary stakeholders through a non-profit organization whose main mission is to develop and administer a national, valid, credible, vendor-neutral certification program for healthcare interpreters

CCHI Commissioners

• Catherine Anderson, Jewish Vocational Service

• Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, University of WI Hospital & Clinics

• Frederick Bw’Ombongi, Spectrum Health

• Kathleen K. Diamond, Association of Language Companies

• Frederick D. Hobby, Institute for Diversity in Health Management

• Jonathan Levy, CyraCom

• Alejandro Maldonado, MN Dept. of Human Services

• Maria Michalczyk, Portland Community College

• Natalya Mytareva, International Institute of Akron

• Elizabeth Nguyen, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

• Virginia Pérez-Santallá, American Translators Association

• Karin Ruschke, International Language Services

• Mara Youdelman, National Health Law Program•


Policy, Industry Stakeholders & Certification Expert Advisors

• Susan Abramson, APHA

• Tricia Barrett, NCQA

• Jeff Caballero, AAPCHO

• Rita Carreon, AHIP

• Jack Ginsburg, ACP

• Carola Green, NCSC

• Javier González, NYU CIH

• Tanya Lopez, AMA

• Michael Martin, ICE

• Edward Martinez, NAPH

• Holly Mikkelson,Monterey Institute

• Ann Morse, NCSL

• Guadalupe Pacheco, OMH

• Ellen Pryga, AHA

• Elena Rios, NHMA

• Laurie Swabey, CATIE/RID

• Gayle Tang, Kaiser Permanente

• Ho Tran, NCAPIP

• Lois Wessel, ACU


Supporters

NOTE: The participation by supporters does not constitute ultimate endorsement of CCHI’s certification program.

Benefits of Certification


• Helps Fulfill Standards and Elements of Performance Critical in Accreditation Settings

• Facilitates Management of Interpreter Services

• Consistency of Practices and Procedures Among Healthcare Interpreters Across the Healthcare Field

• Serving the Needs of Individual Interpreters

A National, Valid, Credible, Vendor-Neutral Certification Program


• National – A portable credential that follows the Interpreter throughout their career

• Valid – The single most important concept – the certification test measures what it intends to measure

• Credible – Created by Interpreters, for Interpreters and the public good

• Vendor-Neutral – Developed from the ground up and not reliant on any existing certification, training, testing or assessment developed or licensed by other organizations. No individual, organization, vendor or entity has any financial or other stake in the program's administration

Certification Vs. Certificate


Competency-Based Certification• Voluntary process • An organization grants recognition to an individual who has met certain

predetermined qualifications or standards.• Individuals meet program eligibility requirements and successfully

complete a rigorous assessment of their knowledge and skills.

Certificate of Knowledge • Demonstrates a relatively narrow scope of specialized knowledge used in

the performance of certain professional or occupational duties or tasks.• Focus is on specialty or subspecialty areas within a profession.

Certificate of Attendance or Participation• Received upon completion of a course or series of courses. • Does not require an assessment of knowledge or skill. • Generally considered fabrications attempting to achieve the same type

of respect afforded to credentials. • Recipients not required to meet any professional or industry standards.

CCHI Certification Timeline

Job Task Analysis


• To create a thorough and accurate definition of the healthcare interpreter profession

• 2,479 responded to the national study

• Representing Healthcare Interpretation in 141 Languages

• Results:

– Provided the overarching framework for the certification

– Differentiated between job categories

– Established exam segmentation

JTA Report


• Response rate well exceeded the minimum required for statistically reliable results

• Study appropriately & accurately identified the tasks performed by entry level healthcare interpreters & the KSAs required to perform those tasks

• Data is consistent across subgroups & represents the breadth of the profession

• Profession is very consistent in the tasks performed on the job

• An examination specification can be constructed using this data that will result in a valid, fair and legally defensible certification examination

CCHI Certification Test

Part I – Managing Healthcare Interpreter Functions

• Manage an Interpreting Encounter 30% - 35%

• Healthcare Terminology 22% - 25%

• Interact with Other Healthcare Professionals 20% - 24%

• Prepare for an Interpreting Encounter 16% - 20%

• Demonstrate Cultural Responsiveness 3% - 6 %

Part II – Perform Healthcare Interpreting

• Perform Consecutive Interpreting 75% - 80%

• Perform Simultaneous Interpreting 10% - 15%

• Sight Translate/Translate Healthcare Documents 10% - 15%

Entry-Level Healthcare Interpreter

A person who is able to perform the functions of an entry level healthcare interpreter competently and independently in a healthcare setting with the knowledge, skill and ability required to relay messages accurately from a source language to a target language in a culturally competent manner and in accordance with established ethical standards.


AHI


Associate Healthcare Interpreter Credential

• Available to interpreters in ALL languages

• Certificate of Accomplishment but not certification

• Entry point into professional certification

• Two-hour, 100 Question, Multiple Choice Exam in English

• Tests the basics of healthcare interpreting

• Preliminary results are immediate at test center

CHI


Certified Healthcare Interpreter Credential

• Certification that tests knowledge, skills and abilities for healthcare interpreting

• One-Hour, Oral/Performance Exam

• Tests consecutive and simultaneous interpreting plus sight translation and translation

• Passing the AHI exam is a prerequisite

• Currently only available for Spanish interpreters but CCHI will develop this exam in other languages

Pilot Test


• Close to 400 Healthcare Interpreters are participating in the Pilot Test for the CCHI Spanish CHI or the AHI

• Pilot Tests will be administered between October 18th and November 5th

• Pilot Test participants who meet the passing score will be awarded an official CCHI credential

Myths and Truths


Visit our website to read up and seek clarification on topics that are confusing or may be misunderstood, such as:

– Essential Facts You Want About Certification and CCHI’s Pilot Exam Process

– Can Certification be patented?

– What does Vendor-Neutral mean?

– Is there a NOCA Accreditation?

– Is it Certification or Certificate?

Get Involved -Join the CCHI Community


• CCHI will involve all key stakeholders in the field –interpreters, federal & state policymakers, healthcare providers & language services companies

• Join the CCHI community & conversation on our website

• Encourage your organization to become a supporter of the development of this certification program

• Check our website for news and updates

Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters


[email protected]

http://www.healthcareinterpretercertification.org/

mailto:[email protected]

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