Medical Document Translation Services

Visiting a medical office will result in physician notes, treatment recommendations, and other key documents that will be incorporated into an individual’s medical records. When the patient moves abroad or a language barrier exists, translating those medical documents becomes a critical concern.

Medical documents, in addition to the aforementioned, may include surgical procedure explanations. A patient may sign an informed consent form prior to the first appointment. If a doctor advises the patient to use a medical device, the patient should clearly understand the instructions.

When medical documents, like these, are not written in a patient’s first language, it becomes extremely difficult for the patient to understand his or her diagnosis and treatment. Medical document translation is the bridge to connecting a patient to his medical team.

Who needs medical document translation services?

1.  Non-native Speakers

Medical document translation services are important to people whose first language is different from the primary language spoken in a country. In the US, English is the first language. However, diverse populations live in major cities, like Chicago, and speak various languages.

Nearly two million Chicagoans are of Latin origin. Spanish is the first language for many people of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent. Chicago is also home to one of the nation’s largest Slavic immigrant populations. The biggest Assyrian population in the US lives in Chicago.

Like Eastern Europeans, thousands of Palestinian-Americans have settled in Chicago’s metropolitan areas, including Albany Park. Asians, such as those of Korean, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese descent, make up approximately 12.7 percent of the Asian population living in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.

The city’s diverse mix of residents speak various languages—yet most will likely, at some point, seek local medical care. Medical document translation will be necessary to ensure patients of all ethnic backgrounds understand their medical diagnosis, care, and treatment instructions.

2. Emigrants and Overseas Travelers

Additionally, individuals who move abroad will require medical document translation services in order to receive proper medical care in their new country. Travelers who need immediate medical care in a non-English speaking country will also benefit from medical document translation services.

3. Hearing Impaired

Elderly individuals and others who suffer from hearing impairment may struggle to hear a doctor’s instructions in the medical office. However, medical document translation services will provide clear documentation, allowing a hearing-impaired person to clearly read the written course of treatment.

Why are subject matter experts critical to medical document translations?

Medical terminologies are complex, making it essential that medical documents translated into another language are complete and accurate. The most effective way to ensure that translated documents correctly communicate all medical terminology and phrases is through a subject matter expert.

Medical translations must be precise in order to avoid improper diagnoses and treatments. One small error in translation could lead to life-threatening consequences. Medical terms should also be translated so that commonly used words, including medical jargon, are used correctly and within context.

Regional dialects and cultural distinctions can cause literal translations to have a different meaning than originally intended. Subject matter experts, such as those with medical training and experience, understand content and terminology and produce medical document translations that capture nuances.

Translating medical documents word for word is rarely enough to communicate a care plan. Some words are used strictly in the medical field, while others are used informally. For example, the word “thorax” is a medical term describing the human chest; the colloquial term is “chest”.

In some languages, such terms may use multiple different terms. Consequently, when translating medical documents from one language to another, it becomes crucial to choose the right word for the intended usage. A subject matter expert with medical experience will select the most precise term.

Patients and doctors alike must be on the same page when reading medical documents. One error in the written documents can lead to a life-threatening situation. Medication doses and frequencies, for example, must be understood so that the patient remains in medication compliance.

How are professional translators integral to healthcare?

Professional translators are key to ensuring that diverse populations speaking different languages and receiving medical care are able to read medical treatment instructions in a language they understand. One way to accomplish this goal is to hire an experienced medical document translation service.

Translators who are certified by the American Translators Association follow standards of competence and ethics as established by the organization. Through professional development opportunities, these translators stay at the top of their field, consistently ensuring documents communicate the right meaning.

Understanding medical care and the corresponding medical documents is a life and death matter. Patients, especially non-native speakers, and those living with hearing impairment, are urged to use a medical document translation service in order to grasp their doctors’ instructions.

Professional Medical Document Translation Services

Metaphrasis, based in Chicago, is a medical document translation service with the ability to translate medical documents for non-native speakers and those with hearing impairment. Our services are geared to improve comprehension of the various medical instructions these individuals receive.

Through our network of professional translators, many of whom are certified by the American Translators Association, your medical documents will be translated into a language in which you are fluent. Our translators take into account cultural nuances in order to provide accurate, quality results.

Metaphrasis customers have full confidence in our ability to translate medical documents. We are able to achieve a high level of quality using our two-step approach: first a translator performs a meaning-by-meaning translation; a second translator verifies the document for accuracy and integrity.

While one of our areas of expertise is accurate medical document translation, our professional translators are also competent in translating documents for a range of other industries. Our specialists skillfully translate documents for government entities, corporations, legal fields, and education.

Metaphrasis is prepared to precisely translate your documents into any of several languages. Whether your needs are medical, legal, website, school or business document translation, our service will fulfill those requirements. Call us for translation services in Chicago, Illinois, and throughout the US.

You can contact our professionals at Metaphrasis at (815) 464-1423 to learn more about our medical document translation services.