As clinical research expands, its results are intended to reach as many places around the world as possible so that health professionals can use the latest developments to help the people in their communities improve their health. Research indicates that patients who are provided with information about their treatment options are more likely to benefit but they need to have all the most useful information available in their native languages.

This is where translation becomes essential as it helps to ensure that patients are actively engaged in their treatment and they know what health outcomes will result. It enhances a patient’s engagement with the professional healthcare provider who has been assigned to provide their medical care.

Some of the social engagement tools when translated can help patients in many different languages including:

• social media which monitors health product reviews and is instrumental in reporting any adverse events from treatment;
• chatbots which offer appointment reminders and the refilling of patient prescriptions, etc.;
• telehealth, such as one-to-one video communication with a physician;
• apps and patient portals;
• the provision of new educational materials through emails and newsletters, etc.

For any global company that sells healthcare products and operates in world markets translation is one of its key tools to engage its customers. 

Translation and patient engagement

Translation plays a key role in engaging and communicating with patients who originate from different backgrounds and languages. Overcoming cultural and language barriers helps in the improvement of health literacy, offers patient trust, and can easily describe how medical products function. The sorts of methods used to convey medical information include the following:

The adaptation of multimedia content such as the translation of instructional videos, useful animations, and infographics that improve health literacy in a more dynamic way engages patients compared to the traditional reading of informational documents.

Medical interpreting focuses on converting spoken language into a patient’s own language. A medical interpreter engages patients with limited English proficiency by acting as a communication link between the patient and the doctor. If a patient understands their health, it will empower them to be able to make an informed decision.

Multilingual training is a huge benefit for medical and clinical staff globally as the most highly engaged patients show more interest in understanding the treatment options offered to them so that they can make informed decisions in relation to their health. 

Some benefits of using a healthcare translation service to boost patient engagement

1. A good healthcare translation service will save lives as neither the patient nor the doctor can afford to misunderstand each other.
2. Having an interpreting service in place that can accurately translate what the patient is telling the physician can help to eliminate communication mistakes and can save lives.
3. Translation technology saves time.
4. A health care translation service can use telephone, internet, or person-to-person interpretation technology that reduces wait time so a patient obtains the care required. 
5. A medical interpreter service saves money as less time is taken sourcing an individual interpreter so there is more staff available to see more patients every day.
6. A written translation provided by a healthcare translation service of a patient’s health records allows a doctor to quickly understand the health requirements of a patient who doesn’t speak the doctor’s language. 
7. In the presence of a medical interpreter, it enables the doctor to see if the questions they are asking their patients are fully understood and the conversation taking place between both the physician and the patient runs far more smoothly so that more quality time can be spent meeting the patient’s needs.