Our Advocacy — UMIA

Our Advocacy

Fair Compensation

Medical interpreting is skilled professional work that carries significant responsibility. UMIA advocates for fair and sustainable compensation that reflects interpreters’ training, experience, specialized knowledge, and essential role in healthcare communication. Compensation practices should support a qualified, experienced workforce and recognize the professional value interpreters bring to patients and healthcare providers.

Professional Standards & Recognition

Medical interpreters are trained professionals whose work requires linguistic proficiency, specialized healthcare knowledge, sound judgment, and adherence to ethical standards. UMIA advocates for greater recognition of medical interpreting as a skilled profession and for standards that protect the integrity, quality, and value of the work interpreters perform.

Responsible Workforce Practices

Changes in the language services industry should not come at the expense of professional quality or interpreter livelihoods. UMIA supports responsible workforce practices that balance efficiency and innovation with fair treatment, appropriate qualifications, and sustainable opportunities for experienced medical interpreters.

Interpreter Vetting & Accountability

Healthcare organizations and language service providers have a responsibility to know who is interpreting for their patients. UMIA supports appropriate screening, verification of qualifications, training, and accountability measures designed to ensure that medical interpreters meet the professional and ethical standards required in healthcare settings.

Patient Safety & Quality of Care

Accurate communication can directly affect a patient's understanding, treatment, and safety. UMIA advocates for interpreting practices that prioritize qualified professionals, accurate communication, and continuity of quality so that patients with limited English proficiency receive meaningful and dependable access to healthcare.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Medical interpreters routinely participate in conversations involving highly sensitive personal and health information. UMIA advocates for interpreting practices, technologies, and workforce policies that protect patient confidentiality, respect privacy obligations, and ensure that access to protected information is limited to appropriately authorized and accountable professionals.

Transparency & Industry Accountability

A strong medical interpreting industry depends on transparency, accountability, and responsible decision-making. UMIA supports clearer standards for how interpreters are recruited, qualified, compensated, and assigned, and encourages healthcare organizations and language service providers to evaluate not only cost, but also quality, security, professional standards, and patient impact..

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