Better Living Through Modern Medicine and Good Translation
The medical field is likely one of the most important places where translation can make the difference between life and death. While it’s true that an error or misunderstanding in marketing translation can cause a glitch in your new product launch, it’s not likely to cause physical harm to customers or employees. On the other hand, a mistake in pharmaceutical materials puts lives at risk if a dosage or ingredient is listed incorrectly on a label, for example.
Treatment During Health Crises
Medical translation is critical all the time, but especially during a disease outbreak when people are in dire need of the right instruction to stay healthy and safe. In countries where healthcare infrastructure is more limited, outside groups may come in to provide support and assistance to local doctors and other medical staff. Yet they seldom speak the native language of those they wish to serve. For example, the Economist explains that “in the last Ebola outbreak in West Africa, women were affected worst, because most international advice on prevention came in English and French, which they were less likely to speak.”
Treatment for Routine Medical Needs
Modern medicine requires good translation at every level. As new practices, treatments, equipment and protocols are discovered in one country, they are shared with others.
Modern medicine requires good translation at every level. As new practices, treatments, equipment and protocols are discovered in one country, they are shared with others. For example, the National Health Service (NHS) in England “deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours. It covers everything, including antenatal screening, routine screenings, treatments for long-term conditions, transplants, emergency treatment and end-of-life care.” This shows how many people can be affected when new health-related information comes in from Luxembourg or Singapore.
Treatment in Your Native Language
People who don’t speak a country’s official language well still visit and live in the country and can face challenges accessing healthcare in a language they understand, which contributes to misunderstandings about diagnoses, missed medication and slower recovery times, with significant human and financial costs to patients and health systems.
Some of the simplest documents and materials that can be found in a doctor’s office or hospital are some of the most important items that can help them make the best decisions. A translation service will enable you to provide these items in multiple languages:
- Information forms
- Documents for consent
- Eligibility criteria for patients
- Notices of language assistance availability
- Discharge instructions
- Clinical trial documents
- Signage
Choosing the Right Translation Partner
Any translator who works in medicine must know exactly what they’re dealing with in their field. At ITC Global Translations, we handpick our translators to ensure accuracy. Not only do they have extensive experience in the language pairs in which they work, they specialize in the genre they’re working with. For example, if you need a surgical procedure translated from English into Hungarian, we can offer it. Need to share health education information with people in the Middle East? We have expert translators for that, too.
Don’t let something as important as the right translation be your downfall. Let a company with experience and passion be your guide. Contact us today.
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