WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders and advocates for the medical interpreting profession gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 1, 2010, for the fourth annual National Medical Interpreter Certification - Open Forum. The focus of this year's forum was expansion and implementation of the national certification launched in October 2009 by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters.

"The forum gave us an opportunity to both celebrate the fact that national medical interpreter certification is now a reality and discuss the next phase of our journey, which is to ready the country for adoption of this national standard," said Louis Provenzano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Language Line Services. "National certification is essential to patient safety for limited English proficient speakers. We must now educate the public and decision-makers on the need for a federal mandate that requires the use of trained and tested medical interpreters and provide the funding to help hospitals meet this patient safety requirement."

This year's meeting included a progress report from Dr. Nelva Lee, Chair of the National Board, on the next steps in the implementation of national certification. In addition, Janet Bonet of the Nebraska Association of Translators and Interpreters was honored with the 2010 Voice of the Industry Award for her outstanding contributions to the interpreting field.
"We have an incredible team of individuals, representing many states and diverse industry sectors, who are working earnestly to advance the medical interpreter profession and address the issue of health care disparities propagated by poor communication between health care providers and limited English proficient patients," said Doris Hernandez, medical interpreter from North Carolina. "Janet Bonet has been a shining example of the selfless dedication and work over many years on the local, national and international level to advance the interpreter profession."

Among other meeting highlights was a presentation by John Weiner, Chief Science Officer with PSI Services, on the Technical Standards Review and Validation Report, which documents that the National Board's oral and written exams required to be credentialed as a "Certified Medical Interpreter" (CMI) in a specific language meet the standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and that the overall process of national medical interpreter certification adheres to the Institute for Credentialing Excellence's best practice standards.