---
title: "The Low Ratio of Nationally Certified Medical Interpreters — #1 Medical Spanish eLearning | Canopy Innovations"
description: The lack of qualified professionals to do medical translations is concerning, article shows.
image: https://blog.withcanopy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/news3-2.jpg
---
[](https://withcanopy.com)
#### Canopy Latest
# The Lack of Certified Medical Interpreters is Alarming
Posted by [Anny Zhang](https://blog.withcanopy.com/author/anny-zhang) on Dec 19, 2017 12:00:00 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
*"The lack of qualified professionals to do medical translations is concerning."*
According to an article published on Emergency Physicians, the number of Nationally Certified Medical Interpreters is only 3,000 in a universe of almost 30 million LEP patients. That means only 1 interpreter for every 10,000 patients, states Olivia Norrmén-Smith and Raviraj Patel in "Lost in Translation? Here is the map".
[Learn more about how you can become Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS)](https://info.withcanopy.com/canopymedicalspanish)
 
Even though some Hospitals may have their own internal qualification and allocation processes for interpreters, according to the article, "medical residents reported great difficulty in accessing qualified in-person interpretation through approved channels."
This is concerning, since the quality of healthcare of these patients relies on good communication skill. Misunderstandings may lead to errors that could be even fatal in the worst case scenario.
Olivia explains that the difficulties in obtaining a good certified professional, in many cases, leads to the use of unqualified interpreters or even family members. "Residents reported feeling “frustrated” and “powerless” or doing more guesswork, testing, and omitting conversations."
Read the full article [HERE](http://epmonthly.com/article/lost-translation-heres-map/).
Are you a healthcare professional who is ready to level up your patient care and become the most qualified (and bilingual) healthcare professional that you can be?
CanopyLearn is the #1 medical Spanish course in the US designed specifically for healthcare workers. Canopy is providing solutions to the lack of certified medical interpreters, by empowering nurses, doctors, and hospital staff alike to learn medical Spanish and take their learning into their own hands.
With over 40+ medical specialties and the most flexible e-learning platform of its kind, you can get bilingual certified and improve your patient care while learning on YOUR time.
Click the link to learn more about CanopyLearn (and get a 10% discount when you sign up.)
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5953582/5ddd002f-79f9-4227-9a8e-e68deeeefdd1)
#### Want to bring medical Spanish to your institution? [Contact us](https://meetings.hubspot.com/anna-spivey/meeting-link?__hstc=246563675.6446866d5a685d7315f9574fe547ad19.1667571500317.1671115690924.1671123163343.65&__hssc=246563675.12.1671123163343&__hsfp=626429062) to learn more about our turnkey solution and custom quotes!
Topics: [Newsletter](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/newsletter), [medical interpretation](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-interpretation), [Language Barrier](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/language-barrier), [Interpreters](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/interpreters)
# **Let us know what you think!**
# About Canopy
### We’re Eliminating the Language Barrier in Healthcare – *Beyond Interpreters*
Canopy is a proven, all-in-one digital platform that fills your healthcare institution's language-access gaps with innovative, NIH-supported solutions including language and compliance training, QBS certification, administrative oversight, and much more. All to improve performance, retain quality workers, and deliver better care. [**Click here to learn more.**](http://withcanopy.com)
### Want to Bring Medical Spanish to Your Organization?
### Recent Posts
### Posts by Tag
- [medical Spanish (70)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-spanish)
- [Insights (67)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/insights)
- [Newsletter (33)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/newsletter)
- [Language Barrier (18)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/language-barrier)
- [Press Release (18)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/press-release)
- [Canopy Medical Spanish (11)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-medical-spanish)
- [Healthcare Language Gap (10)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/healthcare-language-gap)
- [canopy Learn (10)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-learn)
- [Canopy (9)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy)
- [Canopy Credential (9)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-credential)
- [Canopy Spanish (9)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-spanish)
- [CanopyLearn (9)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopylearn)
- [bilingual healthcare providers (9)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/bilingual-healthcare-providers)
- [Canopy Apps (8)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-apps)
- [LEP Patient (8)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/lep-patient)
- [medical schools (8)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-schools)
- [medical spanish course (8)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-spanish-course)
- [nursing (8)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/nursing)
- [Case Study (7)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/case-study)
- [Medical Students (7)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-students)
- [Product Updates (7)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/product-updates)
- [Spanish for Healthcare (7)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/spanish-for-healthcare)
- [language barriers (7)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/language-barriers)
- [Nursing Spanish (6)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/nursing-spanish)
- [international health (6)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/international-health)
- [latino provider (6)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/latino-provider)
- [medical mission (6)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-mission)
- [medical spanish vocabulary (6)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-spanish-vocabulary)
- [Learn Spanish (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/learn-spanish)
- [Medical Translation (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-translation)
- [Non-English Speaking Patients (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/non-english-speaking-patients)
- [Testimonials (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/testimonials)
- [Translator App (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/translator-app)
- [learn medical spanish (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/learn-medical-spanish)
- [medical interpretation (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-interpretation)
- [medical spanish training course (5)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-spanish-training-course)
- [Canopy Translator (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-translator)
- [Interpreters (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/interpreters)
- [canopy medical translator (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-medical-translator)
- [feedback (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/feedback)
- [google translate (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/google-translate)
- [interpreting (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/interpreting)
- [languages (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/languages)
- [limited english proficiency patients (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/limited-english-proficiency-patients)
- [medical translator app (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-translator-app)
- [mistranslation (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/mistranslation)
- [translation app (4)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/translation-app)
- [Canopy Speak (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-speak)
- [Spanish (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/spanish)
- [culture (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/culture)
- [latino health (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/latino-health)
- [medical english (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-english)
- [medical interpreter app (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-interpreter-app)
- [urgent care (3)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/urgent-care)
- [ACEP (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/acep)
- [Duke University (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/duke-university)
- [EDTalk (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/edtalk)
- [Healthcare Professional (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/healthcare-professional)
- [Jerrit Tan (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/jerrit-tan)
- [Medical Spanish in 30 sec (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-spanish-in-30-sec)
- [communication (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/communication)
- [coronavirus (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/coronavirus)
- [emergency departments (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/emergency-departments)
- [innovatED (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/innovated)
- [language concordant care (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/language-concordant-care)
- [medical Mandarin Chinese (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-mandarin-chinese)
- [misinterpretation (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/misinterpretation)
- [mobile app (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/mobile-app)
- [vaccines (2)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/vaccines)
- [2019-nCoV (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/2019-ncov)
- [Affordable Care Act (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/affordable-care-act)
- [American College of Emergency Physicians (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/american-college-of-emergency-physicians)
- [CFHI (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/cfhi)
- [Canopy Cares (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopy-cares)
- [CanopyTranslator (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/canopytranslator)
- [Conference (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/conference)
- [Dr. Lopez (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/dr-lopez)
- [ER (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/er)
- [Emergency Physician (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/emergency-physician)
- [Global Health (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/global-health)
- [Google (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/google)
- [Healthcare for the Underserved (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/healthcare-for-the-underserved)
- [Henry Ford Health System (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/henry-ford-health-system)
- [Immersion Programs (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/immersion-programs)
- [JAMA (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/jama)
- [Kaitlin E. Thomas (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/kaitlin-e-thomas)
- [LGBTQ (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/lgbtq)
- [LGBTQ Health (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/lgbtq-health)
- [Las Vegas (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/las-vegas)
- [Latinx (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/latinx)
- [Los Angeles (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/los-angeles)
- [Medical School (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-school)
- [NYIC (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/nyic)
- [OMED Conference (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/omed-conference)
- [Obamacare (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/obamacare)
- [Osteopathic Medical Conference (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/osteopathic-medical-conference)
- [Osteopathic Medicine (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/osteopathic-medicine)
- [Pride (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/pride)
- [Proficiency Test (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/proficiency-test)
- [Raj Jhaveri (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/raj-jhaveri)
- [Seattle (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/seattle)
- [Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/thomas-jefferson-university-hospital)
- [Touro (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/touro)
- [Translation (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/translation)
- [Translator (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/translator)
- [University of Kentucky (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/university-of-kentucky)
- [VentureBeat (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/venturebeat)
- [aaucm (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/aaucm)
- [alzheimer (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/alzheimer)
- [american medical student association (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/american-medical-student-association)
- [amsa (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/amsa)
- [app launch (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/app-launch)
- [article (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/article)
- [bayside (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/bayside)
- [bengali (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/bengali)
- [bilingual nurses (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/bilingual-nurses)
- [college of osteopathic medicine (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/college-of-osteopathic-medicine)
- [covid-19 (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/covid-19)
- [cultural competence (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/cultural-competence)
- [discount (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/discount)
- [ems (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/ems)
- [false fluency (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/false-fluency)
- [french (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/french)
- [haitian creole (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/haitian-creole)
- [hispanic heritage month (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/hispanic-heritage-month)
- [hofstra (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/hofstra)
- [hospitals (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/hospitals)
- [ielts (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/ielts)
- [immigrants (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/immigrants)
- [infographics (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/infographics)
- [interpreter app (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/interpreter-app)
- [intoxicado (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/intoxicado)
- [japanese (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/japanese)
- [korean community (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/korean-community)
- [latinos (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/latinos)
- [malpractice (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/malpractice)
- [medical tourism (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-tourism)
- [medical translator (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/medical-translator)
- [mexico (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/mexico)
- [new york (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/new-york)
- [partnership (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/partnership)
- [pharmacy label (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/pharmacy-label)
- [phrasebook (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/phrasebook)
- [polish (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/polish)
- [premedical students (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/premedical-students)
- [research (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/research)
- [shortage (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/shortage)
- [verbal ink (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/verbal-ink)
- [video (1)](https://blog.withcanopy.com/tag/video)
[See all](https://blog.withcanopy.com/blog-list/the-low-ratio-of-nationally-certified-medical-interpreters#)
[mailto:info@withcanopy.com](mailto:info@withcanopy.com)