Translation for the Healthcare and Medical Industries
Medical Translation Singapore
Translation for the medical and healthcare industries is one of the most highly demanded translation services. The linguistic diversity of many countries means the services offered by a good translation company are now essential to the effective operation of healthcare and medical Medical Translation companies.
Cultural and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) set standards that are designed to reduce disparities that arise from different cultural and language preferences and to make services more inclusive for all patients and consumers.
If you work in the healthcare or medical Translation industry you may have heard of these standards.
You may be considering how your company can provide more inclusive services in a linguistically diverse world while ensuring that important technical information is not miscommunicated.
The following provides a snapshot of how a high-quality translation service provider can help your company meet the key CLAS standards and your customers’ needs.
The standards require health care organizations to:
Provide language assistance services (including bilingual staff and interpreter services) during all hours of operation.
While healthcare and medical staff might speak multiple languages, relying on staff that lack interpreter training can lead to misunderstanding, omission of vital information, and even misdiagnosis. Quality translation companies will provide fully qualified interpreters who have a strong command of both English and the target language. These interpreters will also be trained in specific subject areas in healthcare and medicine, and be familiar with the relevant professional terms and concepts.
Provide print materials and signage in languages used by groups in the service area.
Written materials such as medical documents and patient instruction information, and signage that reinforces key messages, are very important additions to spoken information for patients. An experienced translation service provider can ensure a translation that is consistent with the culture, literacy level, and dialect of the patient’s target language. Medical texts can also contain a large number of abbreviations, acronyms and terms specific to the industry. A good translation company will have a number of specialised linguists able to translate medical content in a way that patients and consumers can readily understand.
Provide services that are respectfully delivered and compatible with the cultural beliefs and languages of those being served.
Good service delivery begins at the marketing/advertising stage. To ensure your company’s services are reaching your market you will need to have your brochures and any other materials available in multiple languages. In addition to being translated well, these materials should be targeted to the local market. A good translation company will have teams dedicated to Website Localization and DTP Layout to ensure your services are being delivered to culturally and linguistically diverse audiences.
Assure that conflict resolution procedures are culturally and linguistically sensitive.
A good translation company will select linguists who are native speakers of the target language. They will often be based in, or have lived for a long time in the country where the target language is official or is widely spoken. This means they have an in-depth understanding of the specific cultural and language requirements of the target audience. Engaging a linguist who is aware of these requirements will ensure the desired meaning of your important procedures, instructions, etc. is conveyed accurately, while being culturally and linguistically sensitive.
The standards outlined in CLAS ensure that healthcare and medical Translation services in a multicultural and multilingual world are inclusive. Quality translation service providers like Lingua Technologies International, using their expertise and extensive networks, will guarantee your medical or healthcare company best adheres to these standards, and inequalities due to cultural and linguistic differences are reduced. Lingua Technologies International continues to deliver outstanding service and personal attention to all our healthcare and medical clients.