Types of medical translations

Medical translation services are in high demand today as people migrate to other countries throughout the world and aren’t always competent in the language of their new country. They may even bring medical documentation with them that is only written in their own native language. Other uses of medical translation services are the translation of medical research documents from research that has been conducted and reported in a single language that needs to be shared with a global audience. These could include the following:

• articles that have appeared in academic journals;
• clinical trial documentation and protocols;
• results of market research;
• medical documents;
• drug and medical equipment patents;
• medical equipment manuals;
• medical research papers;
• pharmaceutical dosage instructions.

Patients and their doctors may also require translations of the following:

• treatment history;
• prescription records;
• prescription labels;
• patient records;
• patient forms;
• lab and test results;
• doctor’s notes;
• discharge summaries;
• clinical reports.

Importance of translators in healthcare

A medical translation performed by a medical translator helps to build up a trusting relationship between the patients their physician or their healthcare team. This means the appropriate treatment and care can be administered without interruption or misunderstanding.

Important features of medical translation services

There are several benefits of medical translation services.

1. Improves a patient’s health and well-being which lowers the chance of death taking place.

It is without a doubt that if the patient understands their treatment due to an accurate medical translation there will be better outcomes than if no translation took place at all.

2. Reaches more international patients

When medical facilities offered overseas are translated into many languages it improves medical tourism when people travel overseas to seek medical treatment which is much more common today. Medical tourism has always offered benefits to those seeking a choice in where they get their medical care such as a shortening of waiting times, better quality medical care, and being less expensive. It is only through medical translation services that patients from many nations are able to access medical treatment away from their home country.

3. Increases mobility

When doctors and nurses visit their patients every day, having access to medical record translations improves the services offered by medical staff. A patient’s satisfaction will rise as a result of providing medical translation services.  

4. Improves medical care

Medical translation services greatly improve patient care as the patients themselves may choose to use medical translations so they are able to communicate more easily and effectively with their doctors. Doctors are able to view the correct information about their patients when useful medical information is translated.

5. Lowers legal risks

When it comes to the pharmaceutical sector medical translations ensure imported medicines have had their features translated into the languages of the targeted recipients so no misunderstandings take place regarding the labeling and dosage of pharmaceuticals. Instructions for storage, adverse reactions, and other information must be included with medical translation services.

Conclusion

Communication barriers that commonly exist today between patients and their caregivers are a good reason why medical translation services are essential. Some of these barriers include language and cultural differences and poor health literacy. This is why professional medical translation services should be integrated into the provision of health care. Also, methods of disease control and treatment are developed throughout the world by people who don’t necessarily share a common language. This is a good reason to use medical translation services so misunderstandings never take place and knowledge can be shared equally throughout the world.