new apalc report on need for healthcare interpreters

This week, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center released a new report outlining the need for health care interpreters in Los Angeles County. Walking the Talk: Investing in Healthcare Interpreting Programs uses original research from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research to investigate the current capacity to provide trained language services in the healthcare setting.

The report surveys a wide range of healthcare providers throughout each of the seven County Service Planning Areas and assesses their capacity to provide trained interpreters. The findings identify that there is a great need for interpreters.

The development of a trained healthcare interpreter workforce would also simply make financial sense. The report found that certain health providers could be saving nearly $45,000 annually by switching from out sourced interpreter services to a trained and permanent staff of full time interpreters.

There's a clear, defined need for trained interpreters in healthcare -- and the demand is only grow. And on top of that, full-time health care interpreters could actually save providers money! To view the complete version of the report, download the 16-page PDF from the APALC website here.