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Healthcare Industry

Your One-Stop Solution For Language Access In Healthcare

Testing Services

ALTA provides a suite of validated language tests designed specifically for the healthcare setting. Our interpreter testing exams are recognized by the leading certifying bodies for medical interpreters.

ALTA-trained interpreters meet the standards required by the Joint Commission, the Affordable Care Act, and the Department of Health and Human Services (CLAS Standards).

Whether you need 24-hour access to on-call interpreters or the occasional interpreter to fill gaps in your staff, ALTA has you covered.

Our medical translation services provide accurate and specialized translation of medical documents, ensuring effective communication between healthcare professionals and patients.

Language Proficiency Testing

Is Your Staff Really Bilingual?

The language access regulations in healthcare revolve around one principle: organizations must provide effective communication for patients with Limited English Proficiency.

Unfortunately, people aren’t great at evaluating their own language skills. In fact, one study showed that up to 1 in 5 dual-role staff interpreters had “insufficient bilingual skills”! The only way to ensure effective communication is to test your staff’s language proficiency.

ALTA is the leader in language testing for healthcare providers. Our language assessments ensure that healthcare workers communicate in a language other than English in a safely and effective way. And we have the perfect test for every member of your team, whether they work at the front desk or the operating table.

ALTA offers language assessments based on your team’s level of clinical involvement:

Testing Services

Medical Language Assessments We Provide at ALTA

Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS) Assessment

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Clinician Cultural and Linguistic Assessment (CCLA)

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Bilingual Medical Assessment

ALTA’s Bilingual Medical Assessment is an oral, phone-based assessment that focuses on the skills necessary for performing the tasks of medical assistants, nursing assistants, home health aides, and healthcare technicians. Individuals who work in these positions in a bilingual capacity need to demonstrate that they are proficient in both English and another spoken language in clinical settings. This test intends to demonstrate this proficiency , specifically in the context of medical scenarios and terminology. The test is available in Spanish/English.

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Speaking and Listening Assessment

ALTA’s Speaking and Listening Assessment allows you to effectively screen for global proficiency in the target language. This test rates the ability of the candidate to understand and verbally communicate directly in the language in a general context. ALTA also offers tests with subject specific questions for:

  • nurses
  • social and/or case workers
  • dentists, dentist assistants, hygienists
  • speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists
  • midwife
  • pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
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The Qualified Bilingual Staff (QBS) Assessment is a tool developed by Kaiser Permanente and administered by ALTA to test bilingual medical staff for their level of target language proficiency. Specifically, the QBS is designed to assess staff members’ ability to directly communicate with target language-speaking patients in a medical setting. Click here for information about how the test works, the languages offered, and what the results mean.

The Clinician Cultural and Linguistic Assessment (CCLA) is a tool developed by Kaiser Permanente and administered by ALTA to determine the level of target language proficiency of bilingual physicians. Specifically, the CCLA is designed to assess target language communication (speaking and listening comprehension) in a primary care medical setting in a linguistically and culturally sensitive manner without the use of an interpreter. Click here for information about how the test works, the languages offered, and what the results mean.

ALTA’s Bilingual Medical Assessment is an oral, phone-based assessment that focuses on the skills necessary for performing the tasks of medical assistants, nursing assistants, home health aides, and healthcare technicians. Individuals who work in these positions in a bilingual capacity need to demonstrate that they are proficient in both English and another spoken language in clinical settings. This test intends to demonstrate this proficiency , specifically in the context of medical scenarios and terminology. The test is available in Spanish/English.

ALTA’s Speaking and Listening Assessment allows you to effectively screen for global proficiency in the target language. This test rates the ability of the candidate to understand and verbally communicate directly in the language in a general context. ALTA also offers tests with subject specific questions for:

  • nurses
  • social and/or case workers
  • dentists, dentist assistants, hygienists
  • speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists
  • midwife
  • pharmacists and pharmacy technicians

Medical Interpreter Training

Train and Qualify Your Medical Interpreting Team

ALTA’s highly-respected interpreter training and continuing education courses help you ensure your interpreters have both the interpretation skills AND the medical knowledge to handle one of the most demanding jobs in healthcare.

All students must complete a minimum of 40-hours of self-paced training and pass both an oral and written exam to receive a certificate of completion.

ALTA-trained interpreters meet the standards required by the Joint Commission, the Affordable Care Act, and the Department of Health and Human Services (CLAS Standards).

Interpretation Services

Interpretation Services for the Healthcare Industry

On-Site Interpretation | Face-to-Face Interpreting by ALTA

Schedule a professional consecutive or simultaneous interpreter for in-person meetings.
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Over-The-Phone Interpretation Services (OPI)

Schedule an interpreter to dial into your client meetings and ensure effective communication between all parties.
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Video Remote Interpreting Services (VRI) | ASL Video Translation

Save money on travel expenses and connect with an experienced legal interpreter via a secure 2-way video platform.
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Our Interpreters

Connect to Trained Interpreters in 200+ Languages

Whether you need 24-hour access to on-call interpreters or the occasional interpreter to fill gaps in your staff, ALTA has you covered.

We provide a range of services from monthly plans with on-demand telephone access in over 200 languages to face-to-face interpreters nationwide to high-quality video interpretation.

You can choose the service that fits your needs with the confidence that all of our medical interpreters are pre-qualified for interpretation skills, language proficiency, medical knowledge, and HIPAA compliance.

Certified Translations

Get High-Quality Translations Quickly and Affordably

Medical translation is a specialized skill, so we’ll pair you with a professional translator that’s both a native speaker AND has experience in healthcare.

Your translated text will reflect the cultural and linguistic nuances of the language, so you can trust us with vital document translations, like consent forms and patient education materials. Need subtitles or professional voiceovers? We do that too!

We can turn around estimates and completed translations quickly, and each document undergoes a multi-phase quality assurance process that is ISO Certified. So you can count on the translated text being error-free and delivered on time.

What sets ALTA apart?

ALTA Quality means professional services & world-class support

Validated & Reliable Testing Standards

ALTA provides a suite of validated language tests designed specifically for the healthcare setting. Our interpreter testing exams are recognized by the leading certifying bodies for medical interpreters.

200+ Languages & Dialects Available

Get on-demand telephone interpretation in over 200 languages and in-person and video services in 15+ languages. All of our medical interpreters are pre-qualified to work in the medical field.

Comply with Federal Regulations

ALTA-trained interpreters meet the standards required by the Joint Commission, the Affordable Care Act, and the Department of Health and Human Services (CLAS Standards).

The Highest Quality, Certified!

Our exceptional attention to detail helped us acquire our ISO 9001:2015 certification inspection the first time through, with zero corrective actions required.

Contact Us

Get Started Today

Interested in our services? Complete the form to get in touch, or call us at 800.895.8210.

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