E-ging Solutions is one of the largest Shanghai translation companies.if you’d like to know more about how we can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us via through our website.

Providing language access services is essential (and in most cases, required) in the healthcare industry. As medical healthcare providers, insurance companies, and benefit managers, you want to make sure healthcare terms are not “lost in translation” for patients who have Limited English Proficiency (LEP).  Increased requirements at the state and federal level have prompted healthcare administrators to find cost-effective, efficient, and quality solutions.

FINDING HELP FOR TRANSLATION OF HEALTHCARE TERMS

We recommend taking  a look at LEP.gov, a Federal Interagency website. The site’s mission statement says:

LEP.gov promotes a positive and cooperative understanding of the importance of language access to federally conducted and federally assisted programs. This site acts as a clearinghouse, providing and linking to information, tools, and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language services for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs and federally assisted programs, and other stakeholders.

The site provides tips for assessing your language needs and finding the right language service provider for healthcare translation. Among these are questions about how a language service provider selects their linguists. We have more information here on how we select our linguists. (And we’re always willing to talk about it in more detail.) We want to make sure linguists used are well-versed in healthcare terms and have subject matter expertise.

(In addition to document translation, you’ll want to make sure that your language service provider offers interpretation services!)

MAKING TRANSLATION OF HEALTHCARE TERMS EASIER

The use of translation technology, such as translation memory tools, can help streamline the process. Previously translated segments are stored in a database, so they are used for consistency of terminology as well as to leverage cost savings. Also, translation quality assurance is part of the workflow process to make sure your translated files are checked before they reach your inbox. Consistency and accuracy are of utmost important for translation of healthcare terms!

If you are a healthcare professional wondering what documents you should translate, look no further. Here are some initial suggestions for you:

Patient Information Forms

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Consent and Assent Forms (These include Release of Information, Consent to Treat, Consent to Procedure, Consent to Immunization)

Patient Instructions

History Questionnaires and Progress Notes

Missed Appointment Policy

Patient Financial Responsibility Waiver

(Read more from a previous post called “Nine Points on Healthcare Translation and Interpretation.”)

Bonus: Here is a quick tip for making this process easier, more timely (and cheaper)! A scanned document is going to be low quality and may need to be retyped in some cases! Try to provide editable source files whenever possible. If you can’t (or there is handwriting in the document) not to worry, we can work with you.