The National Certification for Healthcare Interpreters first began issuing credentials in 2011. In those seven years, it has continued to grow. For the past four or five years, I have been consistently encouraging the use of certified interpreters.
The problem is that if there aren’t any or many to choose from, people will revert to what they have always done.
December 26, 2018: I am shocked! For the first time, our office manager contacts me to inform me that a client has requested a certified healthcare interpreter for a physical therapy appointment!
I can’t believe what I’m hearing! This is big news! I know it doesn’t seem like much, but I see this as the beginning of many years of hard work. For the first time, one organization is making it a point to first request certified interpreters. All the public education on the matter is starting to penetrate.
Soon enough, I can Imagine the trend growing. Hopefully in a few more years, more interpreters will feel motivated to seek out certification because of the high demand for it. The more people request certified interpreters, the bar for higher standards is raised higher. The higher the demand, the more effort people will make to fill the need.
Eventually, if there are enough certified interpreters and it becomes standard practice to use them, utilizing a certified interpreter will become a requirement, much like a lawyer must have a license to practice law.
Here we go, the ball is rolling!
