5 Reasons Medical Translation is Important
Healthcare is an essential service, and even though it is important to find a doctor who has the training and experience to take care of you, it is also important to focus on communication. No matter how good a doctor is, he or she is not going to be able to help you if he or she does not understand what you are trying to say. So much of what a doctor does is based on the medical history. It is impossible to get a good medical history without understanding what the patient is saying. Therefore, when there is a language barrier present, it needs to be addressed appropriately. That is where a professional translation service is important. Why is this translation critical? There are several key examples to keep in mind.
1. Full Understanding Is Impossible Without Appropriate Communication
First, a professional medical translator helps improve understanding at every point along the journey. Today, medicine is a team sport. There is never only one person making the decisions. Because everyone plays a role in patient care, it is important for everyone to be on the same page. There can be numerous touchpoints in the journey when it comes to a translator. For example, the physician, surgeon, nurse, triage center, admitting team, pharmacy, and lab technicians all have their own roles to play in a single patient’s care. It is therefore critical for everyone to be able to understand each other. That is not going to be possible without the help of a translation team.
The reality is that unbiased, accurate communication is critical. Patients are often asked to make important decisions while they are suffering from anxiety, pain, or confusion. Furthermore, even though informed consent is critical, it is difficult for patients to understand the complexity of medical decisions in a few minutes. Therefore, communicating with patients through a professional medical interpreter can remove a lot of emotional biases or family trauma. This way, the most accurate information to share with the patient, allowing him or her to make the best decision for his or her needs.
2. Reduce Unnecessary Risks
Another reason why accurate transcription services are so important is that they reduce unnecessary risks. Unfortunately, medicine is a field that involves a tremendous amount of risk. It is the job of trained professionals to try to remove as much of this risk as possible. One of the major risks comes from patients inaccurately understanding the importance of these decisions. Without a translator, it is difficult for patients to make appropriate decisions. Ultimately, patients may misunderstand their diagnosis, not understand their treatment options, and could have issues making the best decision. A translator can help patients understand their choices, allowing them to make the best choice.
Furthermore, a professional medical transcription service can remove considerable risk on the hospital’s end as well. For example, if hospitals should be using a professional interpreter, and they do not have access to that service, this could come back to harm the hospital in the future. Therefore, hospitals need to rely on the assistance of a professional translation service, helping them reduce their own risk as well.
3. Improve Patient Satisfaction Scores
Hospitals also need to think carefully about what their patient satisfaction scores are. If their patients are not satisfied with their level of care, this is something that should be addressed. That is where a professional translation service can be helpful. Nobody is going to be happy if they feel like nobody is listening to them or understanding them. If hospitals do not use a professional transcription service when they should, patients will not feel like they are being hurt.
With the help of a medical translation service, patience will know they are being listened to. That way, they know that their medical history is being understood, and they can understand what is being said back to them. When hospitals go the extra mile to make sure their patients are being fully understood, patient satisfaction scores will go up. This is helpful for patients, families, physicians, and the hospital as a whole.
4. Hospitals Must Comply with All Relevant Laws and Regulations
Another major reason why translation services are so important that hospitals need to make sure they are in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. The reality is that hospitals have a duty to make sure that their patients are being understood. Therefore, they need to provide transcription services whenever there is a language barrier present. If hospitals do not have access to appropriate medical translation services, they open themselves up to penalties. Furthermore, insurance companies could refuse to pay hospitals if they do not use an appropriate translation service. Particularly when it comes to HIPAA, the ADA, and Title VI, it is up to hospitals to keep up with these regulations. If they require hospitals to furnish medical translation services, they need to do so. That is in the best interest of not only their bottom line but their patients as well.
5. Professional Medical Translation Services Remove All Doubt
In a lot of situations, physicians may feel like they have a good enough understanding of a second language to communicate with a patient. Or, they may want to use a family member who is fluent in that language. The reality is that they do not know if their interpretation is accurate. Whether they try to handle this on their own or rely on a family member, there will always be some lingering questions about the accuracy of the transcription. This can have a significant impact on the quality of patient care. Use a professional medical translation service to remove any doubt.
Professional Medical Translation Services
If you are looking for assistance with medical translations, it is important to find the right professional medical translation services to meet your needs. Make sure you consider the timeliness of the translation, the accuracy of the translation, and the experience of the company. After all, if you have a medical translation need, you need to get your documents translated quickly so that the patient can be appropriately cared for. We are Etcetera Language Group, and we have an unparalleled level of experience when it comes to medical translation services. We have the trained, certified, licensed professionals to help you meet your needs across a wide variety of languages. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with all of your medical translation concerns, please give us a call today! It would be our honor to assist you.
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