A message from the NCIHC Treasurer

 

Dear Language Access Leaders,

I hope you're doing well!

As Language Access Managers, we all strive to provide meaningful professional development opportunities for our staff interpreters. However, as many of us know, budget constraints often limit access to ongoing education.

For the past three years, I have covered the cost of National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) membership for my team at Wellstar Health System, and it has been one of the most affordable and impactful ways to support their professional growth. With first-year membership at just $45 and $55 annually thereafter, this is an excellent way to offer your team access to national language access initiatives, continuing education, and advocacy efforts, all at a very low cost.

Why Investing in NCIHC Membership Also Improves Patient Safety & Quality of Care

As both the Director of Language Access Services at Wellstar Health System and the Treasurer and Executive Board Member of NCIHC, I have firsthand experience with the value NCIHC provides, not only in terms of professional development for interpreters, but also in ensuring patient safety, quality of care, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Research has repeatedly shown that language barriers in healthcare lead to serious patient safety risks, including:

• Increased rates of serious adverse medical events
• Medication errors, missed diagnoses, and procedures on the wrong patient
• Worse postoperative pain management due to miscommunication
• Longer hospitalizations and higher rates of avoidable ED readmissions
• Poorer overall access to healthcare and suboptimal provider-patient communication
• Lower family and provider satisfaction due to misunderstandings and limited engagement
  • Cohen AL, Rovara F, Marcuse EK, McPhillip H, Davis R. Are language barriers associated with serious medical events in hospitalized pediatric patients? Pediatrics. 2005; 116 (3): 575-579
  • Divi C, Koss RG, Schamltz SP, Loeb JM: Language Proficiency and Adverse Events in U.S. Hospitals: A Pilot Study. International Journal for Quality in Helath Care, 2007; 19: 60-67
  • Jimenez N, Jackson DL, Zhou C, Ayala NC, Ebel BE. Postoperative pain management in children, parental English proficiency, and access to interpretation. Hospital Pediatrics. 2014; 4 (1): 23-30
  • Gallagher RA, Porter S, Monuteaux MC, Stack AM. Unscheduled return visits to the emergency department: the impact of language. Pediatric Emergency Care. 2013; 29 (5): 579-583
  • Goldman RD, Amin P, Macpherson A. Language and length of stay in the pediatric emergency department. Pediatric Emergency Care. 2006; 22 (9): 640-643
  • Zurca AD, Fisher KR, Flor RJ, Gonzalez-Marques CD, Wang J, Cheng Y, October TW. Communication with Limited English Proficient Families in the PICU. Hospital Pediatrics. 2017; 7 (1): 9-15

Providing professional development opportunities for interpreters directly improves patient outcomes by ensuring that interpreters stay informed about best practices, legal requirements, and medical terminology updates. Well-trained, nationally engaged interpreters help prevent miscommunication-related medical errors, reduce disparities in healthcare access, and improve overall patient safety.

The Value of NCIHC Membership for Your Team

  • FREE Continuing Education Webinars – Bimonthly training sessions led by experts in the field.
  • NCIHC Listserv Subscription – A nationwide network of language access professionals.
  • Voting Rights in Board Elections – Engage in shaping the future of the profession.
  • Annual Membership Meeting (AMM) Participation – Opportunities to attend, present, and connect with leaders in healthcare interpreting.
  • Committee or Board Involvement – Volunteer to contribute to national advocacy and initiatives.
  • Linkage to National Advocacy Efforts – Stay updated on critical policy changes impacting LEP and D/deaf patients.
  • New Online Bulletin Board Feature (Coming Soon!) – A social community for professional discussions.

A Small Investment with a Big Impact

With no professional development funds in our budget, NCIHC membership has given my team high-quality educational opportunities and a strong sense of connection to the larger interpreting community—all for less than $5 per month per interpreter.

I’ve also noticed that many Language Access Managers are not NCIHC members themselves. If we, as leaders, are guiding the profession forward, we should also take part in national discussions, policy advocacy, and professional networking. I encourage you to consider becoming a member along with your team members; it’s a low-cost, high-value way to support your team’s growth, engagement, and advocacy as well as an excellent way to stay informed and involved at a strategic level.

To learn more, visit www.ncihc.org or feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Debbie Lesser, MS, CI/CT, QMHI, CoreCHI™
Director, Language Access Services
Wellstar Health System
Treasurer, & Executive Board Member, NCIHC
Certified Medical Interpreter - ASL
O: (470) 793-6839 C: (404) 226-5607