Different Types of Medical Translation for Healthcare

The power of translation is undeniable. We have gone into various verticles and how translation can help. We have also gone over certain errors that can arise in translation and how best to handle them. However, in most cases, a mistranslation ends up with an upset client or a funny phrase. However, when it comes to medicine and healthcare, it is no laughing matter. A mistake in that type of translation can lead to catastrophic events that affect people’s lives and health. In this article, we will break down some different types of translation in the medical field and why they are so important.

Medical Text Translation

Think of this is base one and the base of the pyramid. Medical translation is fairly straightforward and simple. It is to translate any form of medical documentation. This varies from training materials, datasheets for healthcare, professional medical reports translation to bulletins, technical documentation, etc. The list is truly endless. Why is it important? Because when it comes to medicine, language barriers should never be an issue. Let’s give an example. In the United States, almost 20% of the population does not speak English. When these people are sick or do not feel good in any way, imagine how scary it is for them to not be able to seek help.

Having medical translation allows for them to express themselves and their problems, aside from being able to understand what health workers tell to them. Furthermore, studies show that patients who receive communication orally or written in their own language are more likely to respond better to the treatment. Furthermore, since healthcare is considered as human right in a big part of the globe, medical translation should be a human right and available to all individuals who may have trouble communicating medical-related matters.

Types of Medical Translation

Within medical translation, there are various forms. Some include more self-explanatory forms such as medical document translation which we believe you can guess as well as medical report translation. However, there are a few others that are a little more complex and we want to break down a few of them for you.

Healthcare Translator Services

In the last paragraph, we expressed the importance and significant value it can have on a patient when they can hear medical options in their own language. Well – a healthcare translator is in this category. It is someone who can communicate and interpret between patients with limited local language proficiency in addition to the deaf, and their doctors, nurses, technicians or any other healthcare provider. They are extremely important and more often than not are trained in how to handle stressful situations. Making their role for the patient that much more vital.

Medical Translator Services

Similar to a healthcare translator this person will interpret anything related medically to a patient. This goes beyond just communication between a service provider and a patient, but anything related to medical services. Again, this service can not only help the patient but potentially help how the patient will react to the treatment.

Pharmaceutical Translation

Sometimes also referred to as pharma translation, the importance of pharmaceutical translation weighs even more heavily than the previous one. Pharmaceutical translation includes translation of labels, instructions, directions on medicine boxes as well as consent forms. Even the smallest mistake in this could potentially lead to an accident, an overdose, a lawsuit if someone didn’t understand what they were consenting to in a surgery. Prescription translation is similar. Every prescription needs to be perfectly translated to make sure patients know when and how often to take their medicine as well as potential side effects. By thinking about this, you get an idea of how bad it could be and how important it is to get this type of translation right. So make sure to hire people with experience in the field if you have any pharmaceutical translation to be done.

Clinical Translation

Clinical translation is another extremely critical type of translation. Clinical trials are long and tiresome projects. Some even take years to complete. There is a lot on the line and you have to get everything done correctly in order to get a useful result. Only when you do that can you really begin seeing real results and developing cures, medicines, and changing the medical world. There is an endless amount of documentation from registration, up to thousands of different trails and ingredients, labs, notes and clinics. One mistake in translation in this can wipe out years of time and energy.

The same goes for clinical research translation services. As listed previously the research behind a clinical trial is quite extensive and every piece of documentation and evidence of the trial needs to be perfect in order to pass trials and reach new levels of the trial to eventually get to market. Of course, such translations are done by translators who provide clinical trial translation services which is listed under the same type. This is why it is so crucial to get this type of translation done correctly, since it helps researchers continue to improve and develop the world.

Whatever services you are looking for just be sure that the medical translation company you are looking into takes these types of translations seriously. If you have any medical translations to be done, do not hesitate to reach out to Protranslate and feel free to ask if you some other questions regarding medical translation or medical interpreter services. With our expert translator team and easy-to-use online translation system, any kind of medical text translation is only a click away.