We live in a society that is a melting pot of different cultures. Patients or medical care providers may migrate and relocate from their native country to a foreign country. A medical professional may immigrate to another country for exceptional professional opportunities, such as specialized training in an evolving medical discipline. A patient may seek to participate in an emerging medical research study in another country to see if an evolving medical treatment may finally cure them. We live in an era where it may be challenging to navigate modern medical systems. Also, we seek perfection from our medical care providers.
Role of Medical Translations in Modern Medicine
Language and cultural differences can be a common obstacle for medical information shared through verbal conversations or medical documentation between individuals of different cultural backgrounds. Due to modern medicine and the expectations of the highest quality standards, it is more important than ever before that all medical professionals can understand the needs of their patients regardless of the patients’ cultural backgrounds. As a result, it is essential that medical translation services promptly facilitate the perfect flow of medical information between foreign language users.
Consequences of Inadequate or Delayed Medical Translations
Inadequate or delayed medical translations may lead to medical negligence and unacceptable medical errors. The following adverse effects may occur if there is a gap in the exchange of medical information due to unprofessional medical translators.
- Delayed treatments and progression of otherwise avoidable adverse consequences
- Alarming adverse events
- Medical errors
- Misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses
- Incorrect pharmaceutical or medical treatments
- Mortality incidents
- Legal risks
- Denied authorizations
- Increased financial burden of unnecessary and preventable costs
- Emotional distress
- Media scandals and damaged reputation
Furthermore, a small medical error due to inadequate medical translation services can lead to distrust between patients and medical care providers. With the ever-present social media and the internet, one patient can share his or her negative experience with thousands of individuals around the world. Negative publicity due to a medical error can obliterate the practice of a medical professional, shut down an entire hospital.
Importance of Professional Medical Translation Services
High-quality, precise, and proactive medical translation services are crucial to ensure mutual understandings in the area of life sciences, clinical research studies, and patient care. A professional translation company enables medical care stakeholders who speak different languages to communicate effectively. Professional medical translation services mitigate communication and cultural challenges so that doctors of various specialties, nurses, pharmacists, insurance providers, patients, and other stakeholders can clearly understand each other, thereby ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate and highest quality medical care.
By utilizing the certified document translation services of a professional translation company, medical care providers will be able to better understand their patients’ holistic biopsychosocial information. As a result, there would be decreased utilization of defensive medicine techniques as doctors will be alleviated from misunderstandings, poor medical translations, and delayed exchange of vital medical information. Thus, medical care providers can ensure immediate proper prevention, diagnosis, and treatments to control the progression of chronic conditions and potential complications.
Furthermore, patients have a right to understand their medical conditions. They will be more likely to seek medical support from trusted providers who use the services of a professional translation company. A professional translation company will provide document translation services. As a result of such services, patients will be able to understand their medical information better, provide the necessary requested information, receive access to more affordable treatment options, and more easily navigate the complex modern medical system.
Patients and families will feel ease of mind if their doctors understand their biopsychosocial needs as shared by their verbal communication and writings. Foreign patients will appreciate the providers’ holistic approach and understanding of the patients’ cultural backgrounds. Patients will also be able to understand the information shared by their doctors, which is essential for patients to practice effective disease management.
A Modern Professional Translation Company You Can Trust
A modern professional translation company such as EC Innovations (ECI) will ensure 100% perfection as medical experts understand the importance of medical translation services. ECI will assemble a team of medical experts who understand medical information, life sciences, and the languages and cultures of the receivers and senders. As a result, ECI provides solutions to the challenges of language barriers, cultural differences, differing and individual religious beliefs, and other lifestyle factors that may cause gaps in the exchange of medical information.
Having accumulated over 20 years of experience, ECI has gained a competitive edge in translation productivity, technology accumulation, quality control, and overall efficiency in the?life sciences?field. In addition to providing professional translation services, we also provide advanced localization technology solutions to maximize translation and localization efficiency and achieve automated project management.
To date, ECI has achieved ISO 13485:2016, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 1710:2015 certifications. We have 11 strategic offices around the world and operating divisions in Asia, Europe, and North America, offering full localization support into 120+ languages and 260 locales.