3 Things to Look for in a Medical Document Translator

Medical documents can be tricky things to find a proper translator for. While there are many services out there, you need to make sure you’re entrusting your text to a reliable translator who’s truly familiar with medical terms both in the original language as well as the translation language. Here are three elements to look for that are indispensable in a medical document translator.

1. Specificity

Medical document translation requires expertise on the translator’s end, especially given the huge array of medical terms that appear in healthcare documents. A good way to check out whether a company or translator is worth their salt is to ask for samples and satisfied client testimonials. Medical technical language is very complicated and requires extreme precision, so you can’t entrust your document to just anyone.

2. Confidentiality

Ever heard of HIPAA? If you’re in the medical industry in the United States, you undoubtedly know it well. This set of regulations that protect personal patient information are extremely strict and tie into state funding and other serious issues. Therefore, confidentiality with medical documents is paramount when dealing with translations. You don’t just need a good translation service, but also a discreet one.

3. Accuracy

First and foremost, medical documents require accuracy. The worst mistake that can be made is mistakenly substituting one term for another when a healthcare document is being translated. It can literally be a case of life or death in some situations, so make sure that you’re dealing with a certified translation that accurately captures the original text and communicates the information properly.

Medical translations are some of the most delicate documents for translators. Not only do they require specific knowledge and discretion, but also extreme attention to detail to ensure that every single word, mention, and analysis is accounted for. The best course of action is to obtain a certified translation using a company with a solid client track record.