Who We Are
Marlene Obermeyer, MA, RN
Director. Curriculum Designer.
Subject Matter Expert (SME). Interpreting Skills Mentor and Coach.
WA-DSHS Authorized Interpreter Ilokano and Tagalog.
What is our philosophy?
We define medical interpreting as Provider-Managed, Patient-Centered, Interpreter-Facilitated Communication.
Interpreting is interpreter-facilitated communication.
The goal of facilitated commmunication in healthcare is clinical accuracy.
Provider-managed means the physician or other healthcare provider manages the communication to obtain accurate information to make the correct diagnosis and to prescribe treatment.
Patient-centered means the patient is able to participate fully in the treatment process by having a complete understanding about his/her diagnosis.
Interpreter-facilitated means the interpreter is responsible ensuring the patient and the provider have accurate information for shared decision-making.
This entails a strong background knowledge of medical concepts in both languages, the ability to convey complex medical information into the patient's language, while maintaining the ethical and professional standards for interpreters.
Clinical accuracy in interpreting is fundamental to PATIENT SAFETY.
Culture Advantage offers a clinically authentic learning experience in BOTH languages, that ensures clinical accuracy during the medical encounter.
This program integrates the medical provider's perspective with the patient's perspective.
As healthcare professionals, our goal is patient safety and quality of care. In facilitated communication, the quality of care depends on quality interpreting.
What is our experience?
Registered Nurse
My name is Marlene Obermeyer and I'm a registered nurse and founder and director of Culture Advantage.
Originally from the Philippines, I have over 25 years of experience as an RN:
- Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse: Med-surg, Orthopedics, Urology, Gerontology.
- Flexible Staffing Nurse/Travel Nurse: Telemetry, Critical Care, Bone Marrow Transplant.
- Primary care nurse/Office Nurse
- Medical Services Consultant/Worker's Comp Consultant/Advocate
- Revenue Integrity Nurse Auditor
- Founder, Culture Advantage LC. In 2005, I started Culture Advantage as an online CEU portal for RNs and LPNs, offering continuing education courses in cultural competency and cross-cultural communication.
- In 2009, Culture Advantage LC opened the Culture Advantage Online Learning Portal for Language-Specific Medical Interpreter Training.
- Provider of bilingual healthcare staff assessment (Medical Interpreter Skills Assessment MISA) and Medical Interpreter Training for Bilingual Staff in community health centers, primary care clinics, and hospitals.
- More details here.
What is our expertise?
- Bachelor's Degree in Communication with a Minor in Psychology. Associate Degree in Nursing.
- Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with Concentrations in Anthropology, Communication, and International Business.
- Approved Provider for Kansas Continuing Education for Nurses 2005 to 2009.
- Approved Provider for Nurses Continuing Education: California State Board of Registered Nursing, 2012 to 2019.
- Approved Provider for Healthcare Interpreter Training: Oregon State Authority: 2015 to Present.
- Approved Provider of Continuing Education for Interpreters: Washington State DSHS 2019 to Present.
- Authorized Medical Interpreter Tagalog- Washington State DSHS 2018 to Present.
- Authorized Medical Interpreter Ilokano- Washington State DSHS 2018 to Present.
- Certificate - IHA Health Literary Specialist Credential- Ethics. 2021.
Are we nationally recognized?
National speaker and trainer.
Leadership positions in international organization (IMIA) for interpreters.
- Presented Cross-cultural Communication Workshop at the IMIA International Conference in Boston, 2009.
- I became an active advocate for the professionalism of medical interpreters, joining the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) in 2010 as Kansas Representative- IMIA.
- I was the first chairperson of the Minority Languages Division, presenting about the Challenges and Opportunities for Minority Language Interpreters at the IMIA International Conference in Houston in 2014.
- I was the first chairperson and commissioner of the Commission on Medical Interpreter Education (CMIE) where we published the first standards for medical interpreter training in 2014. I presented the CMIE Standards at the IMIA International Conference in Houston in 2014.
- I presented the CMIE Standards at the IMIA International Conference in Washington, DC in 2015.
- I advocated for a minimum of 60-Hour training for medical interpreters, instead of the current status quo of 40-hours, and also advocated for language-specific training.
- I conceived, designed and presented the first of many IMIA Medical Terminology Boot Camp for the IMIA's international conferences.
- Presented to NCTA (Northern California Translators Association).
- Designed and nationally presented Interpreting in Difficult Situations (1-Day Workshop) for the IMIA conferences.
- Designed and nationally presented Interpreting in Mental Health (1-Day Workshop) for the IMIA.
- Designed and nationally presented Interpreter Self-Care: Identifying Hazardous Situations - A 4-Hour Workshop in Washington DC.
- Currently one of the advisors for the CMIE, joining an elite group of interpreter educators in the US.
- Quoted and/or cited in online publications: Competent Preceptorship; Cultural Competency;Cross-Cultural Communication; Communication in Nursing; Effective Communication in Nursing.; Communication in Nursing (A CNE Course); Feedback loops....
- Interpreter Training for Indigenous Languages.
- Member: Advisory Committee for NBCMI National Certification, 2017.
Our Mentors and Coaches
We are proud of our mentors and coaches!
What other services do we offer?
- Consulting and Training for Healthcare Organizations: Language Access, Cultural Competency, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Assessment and Training for Bilingual Healthcare Staff
- Medical Staff Training: Working Effectively with Interpreters
- Online CNE Curriculum Development and CNE Provider Consulting
- Pre-Departure and Host Country Cultural Training
- Cultural Preparation for International Nurses and Staff Cross-cultural Communication
- Cross-cultural Training for Multicultural Healthcare Staff
- Language Coaching
- Private Interpreting Skills Coaching
- Private Preparation for National Certification Coaching