Qualified Interpreter
Trained interpreter under Section 1557.
A qualified interpreter is the standard required under Section 1557 of the ACA for healthcare encounters with limited-English-proficient patients. A qualified interpreter has:
- Demonstrated proficiency in both English and the non-English language.
- Training in interpreter ethics (confidentiality, accuracy, impartiality, role boundaries).
- Training in the specific terminology of the setting (medical, legal, educational, etc.).
- Understanding of the interpretation modality being used (consecutive, simultaneous, sight translation).
Section 1557 specifically prohibits using bilingual staff who haven't been assessed and trained as qualified interpreters as substitutes — even if the staff member is fluent in the patient's language. Many hospitals run in-house qualified bilingual staff (QBS) programs where bilingual employees are assessed, trained, and authorized to interpret in specific contexts.
Certifications like CHIA and NBCMI for medical interpreters, RID for ASL interpreters, and state court-interpreter certifications all meet or exceed the 'qualified' standard. Generic bilingualism does not.