OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNORS AND HOSPITALS  
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The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) has issued an open letter to governors and hospital associations to raise awareness about the safety of healthcare interpreters and language access services for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and their families, as well as the safety of all healthcare workers during the current unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare interpreters work in close quarters and in close proximity to patients and the safety of all workers with direct patient contact must be the number one priority. This includes physicians, nurses, allied professionals, and face-to-face/on-site healthcare interpreters.
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​PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
The open letter reminds hospitals and healthcare systems that face-to-face/on-site healthcare interpreters should be provided the same level of protection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as any healthcare provider for whom they are interpreting while also recognizing that PPE shortages may necessitate certain limiting measures. It is extremely important for managers to have transparent and honest conversations with interpreters and collectively come to an understanding on when and to whom PPE is provided.​

​ALTERNATIVES TO ON-SITE INTERPRETATION
When PPE is not available there are alternatives to face-to-face/on-site interpretation. Ultimately, if appropriate PPE is not available for an interpreter, then alternatives must be provided to both reduce the spread of the coronavirus by interpreters and ensure their personal safety. Unlike most healthcare providers, interpreters work in different departments, different facilities, and even different campuses throughout the day. Their inadequate protection will result in spreading the virus not only in the community and to their families but also to other healthcare workers and patients within and outside a specific facility.

REMOTE INTERPRETING
The CCHI recommends that all hospitals, health systems, clinics, and healthcare providers deploy remote interpreting for most of their interactions with LEP patients and their families, as the primary modality for delivery of language access services in the time of this pandemic. The implementation of remote interpreting may take time and require certain information technology solutions as well as evaluation for compliance with laws and regulations. However, the implementation of remote interpreting will allow facilities to reserve much needed PPE for healthcare professionals who must be in direct contact with patients. Furthermore, face-to-face interpreters have a higher risk of becoming a vector of infection even with the appropriate use of PPE due to the mobility of their job. When institutions utilize telemedicine and telehealth options for providing care, they must incorporate remote interpreting into these solutions to ensure equal access to healthcare for limited English proficiency patients.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT REMOTE INTERPRETING
Remote interpreting may be implemented in the following ways:

• Create in-house call centers. Current staff interpreters interpret remotely via video or

phone. Enforce proper distancing and cleaning protocols in the call centers to ensure interpreter safety.

• Tools for remote video/phone interpreting. Provide current staff interpreters with tools to interpret from home via a video application or phone.
• Equip rooms for limited English proficiency patients.  Provide patient rooms  that have access to a phone or video device (tablet, computer monitor, TV screen) connected to the internet.

These steps do not completely eradicate the need for the face-to-face interpreting modality, as this modality is crucial when interpreting for hard-of-hearing patients, patients with dementia, deaf and blind patients, and young children. All interpreters need to work closely with management to ensure the safety of everyone and to provide equal access to healthcare for limited English proficiency patients.

A BRIEF NOTE ON CONFERENCE INTERPRETING
The International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) has issued best practices for interpreters during the COVID-19 crisis. AIIC's Technical and Health Committee and Taskforce on Distance Interpreting specify rules on social distancing in interpreting booths, social distancing for sign language teams, disinfection, and the use of disposable gloves and personal headset covers.
  

Tips and advice on where to find a qualified professional translator for your business needs.

A translator works with the written word and an interpreter works with the spoken word.  Do you have a document requiring translation or do you need to schedule an interpreter for a court hearing, business negotiation, or medical appointment? Here's some advice on how to find a professional translator or interpreter.

​RECOMMENDATIONS
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Ask a trusted colleague in your industry for a referral to a translator or interpreter they work with regularly. If you know a qualified Spanish translator but need to have a document translated into French, ask the Spanish translator for a referral. Translators often network with one another and asking for a recommendation is a great place to start when looking for a professional translator.

Here is a partial list of websites with specific links to search for a translator or interpreter. 

• Look for the corresponding link on the association's home page.
• Use menus to select the language of the document requiring translation and the target language, e.g., Spanish to English. Or select two languages for interpretation services.
• Select certification, if required. 
• Select subject matter or specialization, e.g., medical, financial, legal.
• Select city or other geographic region, if applicable. While translators work over the computer across states and across nations, interpreters generally work in person at a specific location.  

National association
American Translators Association  Find a translator or interpreter

Regional and local groups
Association of Translators and Interpreters of Florida  Find a professional
Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters  Find a translator/interpreter
Colorado Translators Association  Directories > Translators and Interpreters
Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network  Find a Translator/Interpreter
New Mexico Translators and Interpreters Association  The Directory
New York Circle of Translators  Find a Linguist
Northwest Translators & Interpreters Society  Find a language specialist
​Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters  Find a translator/interpreter

HELPFUL GUIDELINES
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• At its website https://www.atanet.org/, the American Translators Association has a free publication with tips for translation buyers  https://www.atanet.org/publications/Getting_it_right.pdf
• And another publication with tips for buyers of interpreting services https://www.atanet.org/publications/Getting_it_right_int.pdf
• A publication on translation standards called Translation: Buying a Non-Commodity  https://www.atanet.org/docs/translation_buying_guide.pdf
• The ATA Compass: Your Guide to Translation in the Global Market  https://theatacompass.org/

Still have questions? Contact me at https://www.integrativetranslations.com/ and I will do my best to help.