Top Medical Documents to Translate

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Translation for Healthcare Practices


For healthcare clinics, doctor's offices and hospitals, correct and accurate communication between professional and patient is vital. It can actually be a matter of life and limb! 


On the subject of your practice's files and informational material, they must be translated meticulously and to the best standard for your patients who may not speak English, or at least don't feel comfortable enough with certain medical terminology in English.


From translating a patient's personal data and medical instrument manuals, to face-to-face interpretation, our expert translators are experienced with all forms of healthcare forms and medical materials. 


All of this experience has resulted in creating a fundamental list of documents that should be translated if your clinic and practice work in multiple languages. 


In this article, we’ll run through the 6 most important documents that your healthcare practice should have translated for top patient satisfaction.


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6 Documents Your Medical Practice Needs to Have Translated

1. Consent Forms

Consent paperwork and medical waivers are one of the most essential files inside a healthcare setting. Patients want to absolutely understand - and agree to - the advantages and any viable dangers in their trials, treatments, and procedures. 


So if a consent form isn't written in a language in which the patient feels comfortable, in reality, it should be translated by a professional translator, making sure all data is conveyed correctly.


2. Medical History Questionnaires

Again, this is a vital piece of documentation because it presents crucial data to doctors, nurses and any other healthcare practitioner. 


If something in the questionnaire  is inadequately translated - which includes allergic reactions or current medication - there will be severe consequences, so it’s crucial to hire professional translators to accurately portray the information.


3. Patient Financial Responsibility Waivers

If your hospital or practice requests that patients sign something, it’s essential it can be read and understood in their native language.

This becomes even more vital when dealing with financial responsibility waivers, which communicate information related to hospital costs, insurance, and eligibility and coverage.


4. Patient Information Forms

Patient information paperwork are crucial files in a healthcare setting. 

Should you want to get in contact with an affected person’s next of kin, or verify information about their health insurance, this form will provide the necessary information. 

In order for a patient to fill in the form correctly and fully,  it must be understandable in that person's native language.


5. Patient Instructions (for Common Procedures)

It’s essential that patients understand precisely what a certain medical procedure or examination entails, so clear and explicit instructions - in their language - that explains what they should  expect, and what they need to do, are crucial

More than that, any clinical process may be unsettling and possibly even a bit scary, so making sure patients feel reassured and taken care of is medical best practice.


6. Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Explaining patients their rights not only educates and calms anyone receiving any sort of medical assistance, it also helps absolve your clinic or hospital from potential liability or medical malpractice concerns. 


This is also true when explaining expectations and information about what a patient is responsible for, including sharing their health history and cooperating on agreed-upon treatment plans.


Get a Quote for Your Medical Translation 

When it involves translating your clinical and healthcare material, accuracy and use of correct medical terminology is crucial. Medical translation is a specialist field, and requires a certain level of expertise to render a correct translation.


Here at Idiomatic USA, we have been providing medical translations for over 25 years, with over 1 million completed translations attesting to our knowledge and commitment to quality.


If you want to translate your clinic or healthcare practice's material, we’d love to speak with you. Please get in touch here for a non-committal quote.


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