The marketplace experiences many fluctuations, along with particular challenges when it comes to healthcare and medical translation. All types of translation are undoubtedly difficult, but healthcare and medical translation present an even tougher challenge. At present, medical translation is in high demand and requires more than basic translation services. This type of translation helps connect businesses, customers, and professionals to work together and improve the health and lives of people.
Medical translation is essential in disseminating not only medical knowledge but also daily medical discoveries. This type of translation is crucial in providing healthcare services to foreigners, businesses, and individuals who require their medical reports to be translated into other languages.
However, not everyone possesses the skills necessary to perform accurate medical translations. It takes a specialist to complete the job accurately.
The process of translating medical information is relatively straightforward. In countries with diverse populations, such as the UK and the United States, healthcare providers may need to treat over ten patients a day from various countries. These patients may not be proficient in English or the doctor’s native language. Without proper translation services, patients may not understand their diagnosis, prescriptions, or how to fill them out.
Translators may encounter difficulties in the translation process at times. Without appropriate translation services, patients may struggle to attend follow-up medical appointments or follow instructions, hindering their recovery.
Major Challenges Of Medical Translation & Healthcare Translation
This form of language is applied in a different manner when used between experts. This language use varies based on communicative situations and participants. These terms are used when translation is used in expert to expert communication like imaging reports, research papers, case studies, case notes and discharge summaries. Whenever medical translation takes place between layman and a doctor, the medical translator needs to use less complex languages. They will be able to cover patient fact sheets, package leaflets and more. The terminology used in the text needs to be quite easy to understand and explained properly. Proficient knowledge will help medical translator to fit the language properly and using terminology to intended audiences only.
Challenges Faced By Medical Translators
They might sometimes have to include extend of details in native language, while discussing any particular form of health issue of patients. Medical translation is no doubt a tough arena because of its multiple factors. One such factor is the terminology, which branches well into multiple aspects. Even though the use of Latin in teaching and writing medicine has ended in 19th century, still some of its uses are still prevalent even now.
1) Medical Terminology And Language
Accurate medical translation is critical, as it involves the well-being and lives of individuals. Only specialised professionals well-versed in the technical language of healthcare and medicine can accurately translate medical terminology. The terms used are specific to medicine, a patient’s health condition, or the disease afflicting them, and require an expert to understand. It is crucial to work with subject matter experts who possess proper medical experience and are highly proficient in various languages. A medical translator must have a deep understanding of the technical terminology of this field, and provide documents that are useful for nurses and doctors caring for patients.
2) Specialised Community Or Audience
In the realm of healthcare, medical language is reserved for a specialised community. Only top providers of global healthcare translation services can assist in navigating this technical, occupational, academic, and professional practice area. Medical translation is particularly concerned with critical factors like the end user, their field of expertise, and the specific medical language used in the application.
3) Medical Translation Specialisation
Sometimes, you might find this question poking your mind most often. How to Deal with Translation Problems with ease? Well, when you have experienced translators by your side, finding the right answer to this question won’t be that tough. Medical translation is known to cover diversified field. Like doctor have their own specialisations, such translators will often specialise in various sections as well. A translator with expert knowledge in hematology won’t be able to work on medical documents working on cardiology or oncology. It is time for the LSPs to employ medical expert translators with experience in various sections of medicine and healthcare. Clients always have to be specified in their requests made for medical translation to translate the medical documents with 100% accuracy.
4) Abbreviations And Word Compounding
When you enter the medical field, you will come across so many abbreviations and acronyms. English often proves to be the lingua franca in the field of medicine and most of these abbreviations and acronyms are adapted from some of the other languages. However, there are some readily made exceptions available, which the translators have to work their way out. Major Challenges Of Medical Translation & Healthcare Translation Major Challenges Of Medical Translation & Healthcare Translation Some of the basic examples of compound nominal phrases are patient safety, contrast medium and heart failure. These terms are widely used in medical English. While translating into another language, these similar phrases might have some syntactic shifts or phrase changes. Suffixes and prefixes are common too, as widely derived from Latin or Greek.
Some examples might help you with better understanding.
• Allo – another
• Carnio – of the cranium, and more
The differences in affixes cause variations in the field of semantic distribution. Sometimes, doublets can be troublemakers as translators have to choose carefully the terms used for specified audiences. Most of these words are taken from some of the well-known Greek or Latin terms.
Eponyms
Medical terminology includes numerous eponyms, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alsheimer’s disease, derived from human anatomy, medical tools, diseases, symptoms, and even medical procedures. Eponyms may also incorporate geographical locations or the names of fictional characters.
Challenges Faced By Global Companies:
With the flourishing growth of the medical industry, it presents multiple challenges to stakeholders. They have to maintain new regulations and requirements. Accuracy is of prime notion over here as the health of companies’ reputation is associated with this change. Medical products might also have to meet some legal aspects while selling in direct market around world. Medical industry has to meet regional rules through documentation in current market’s languages.
As medical translation is a task which needs experience and talent, you are always asked to catch up with the talented medical translators first. Some of the reputed centers have teams of subject matter experts, covering the field of healthcare and medicine. They are the one offering justice to medical translations. You can always give a call at their official number or jump right into details with other services over here. They are always proud to help you.
