Electronic,Medical,Record,With,Patient,Data,And,Health,Care,Information

Why using an experienced business translator is essential in the healthcare industry.

The healthcare sector has expanded by an exponential rate over the last decade, with new treatments and drugs available that can cure a host of illnesses in modern day society. This development, although a leap forward in humanity’s existence, comes with an ever increasing list of risks and regulations that professionals in the healthcare industry must comply with.

The need for accurate language translation of healthcare and pharmaceutical documents, has therefore never been more essential. Below are 3 reasons why using an experienced healthcare translation company is essential:

Medical Jargon
The importance of correctly translating medical jargon cannot be overstated, particularly when it comes to translating medical records or documents for overseas professionals. Not only does every country have varying dialects that need to be taken into account by a native speaker that understands the overall language’s eccentricities, but it’s also essential that specific technical jargon is translated correctly so that medical professionals fully understand medical notes and actions to take.

Regulation Compliance
Similar to dialect differentiations, each country may have different regulations that businesses in the healthcare industry must comply with. The repercussions of getting this area of translation wrong can be very serious, with many regulations being legal requirements. This presents another reason why it is imperative to not only have a translator who is experienced in the healthcare industry, but is also a native speaker of the language to ensure they are up to date and fully understand the rules and regulations of that country. This ensures that you won’t encounter any possible legal implications as a result of your mis-translated documents.

Pharmaceutical Instructions
Medical drugs are bought and shipped globally to support the country’s healthcare system, and its citizens receive the medical treatment they need, and during Covid-19, this occurred on an unprecedented scale with the global vaccination programme when billions of medical ingredients were being bought and sold to create vaccinations. With this in mind, if your products are being sold to pharmaceutical or medical companies to be incorporated with other ingredients, it is vital that all important information is 100% accurate to avoid any concerns or miscommunication about the contents of the drug.

At TW Languages, we ensure all our healthcare translators are professionals in the industry, as well as native speakers of the language. Find out more about our high quality language solutions here; https://www.twlanguages.com/healthcare-translation-services/

Five problems caused by not using an experienced, technical translator.

With the global chemical industry expanding at a rapid rate, it has become increasingly important to ensure 100% accuracy in your technical documentations. But how do you guarantee this, if the documents aren’t in your own language?

Expanding a business to countries outside of the UK can elevate a company to the next level, but can also cause many issues if the expansion is handled incorrectly, especially regarding translated documents. It can be tempting to pay cheap prices for translation services, but at TW Languages, we have seen many businesses trying to redeem themselves following budget providers’ translation mistakes.

In the hope of reducing more companies from experiencing this, we are on a mission to outline the issues you could encounter if you don’t use an experienced technical translator.

  1. Cause offence

The last thing you would want to do when you are trying to expand your business into a certain country, is cause offence. Some countries will have very similar social expectations to the UK, but there may be certain dialect that is customary in a foreign country, or phrases that would be misinterpreted as rude.

An example of this was when Coca-Cola launched a new advertisement campaign in New Zealand translated into the native language, Maori, in 2019, but failed to consult with a native speaker. This resulted in what they thought said ‘Hello mate” actually translating into “Hello death.”

The only way to be sure that no offence will be caused to potential customers, is by having a translator whose native language is the one you’re translating into, so that they are familiar with all the linguistic expectations.

2. Non-compliance of regulations


Similar to dialect differentiations, each country may have different regulations that businesses in the chemical industry must comply with. The repercussions of getting this area of translation wrong can be very serious, with many regulations being legal requirements. This presents another reason why it is imperative to not only have a translator who is from the country, but also an individual who is a chemical industry expert. This ensures the translator is always up to date with any new rules and regulations, and that you won’t encounter any possible legal implications as a result of your mis-translated documents.

3. Inaccuracy


This is the most obvious repercussions of not using an experienced technical translator, but it is also one of the most important. Whether a translator makes several small grammatical errors, or a much larger miscommunication error, inaccuracies in a technical document will always result in a loss of trust for your clients.

The Virginia Department of Health came under huge repercussions when they used Google translate to convert Coronavirus FAQs into Spanish. The digital platform translated the phrase “the vaccine is not mandatory” into “the vaccine is not necessary,” leading to huge trouble for the US government.

If your products are being sold to pharmaceutical or medical companies to be incorporated with other ingredients, it is vital that all important information is 100% accurate to avoid any concerns around what makes up a vaccine, for example.

4. Damage to Reputation

All of the above listed repercussions would cause serious damage to your reputation, and potentially affect the possibility of expanding your business globally. In extreme circumstances, word of the issue may return to the UK and affect your whole business reputation which you have worked so hard to build.

HSBC launched an international campaign in 2009 with their slogan as “assume nothing” but when this was translated into other languages, it became “do nothing.” The bank had to spend $10 million dollars rectifying the damage, but not before losing the trust of many of its clients.

5. Missed opportunities

Not using an experienced translator could ultimately result in missed opportunities for your business, which could have been avoidable. In business sectors as technical as the chemical industry, it’s imperative to ensure accuracy and professionalism at all times, and the easiest way to guarantee this is by using experienced, technical translators.

Contact us on 0161 826 8777, or explore our translation services on our website.

6 things to look for in life sciences translation services

6 Things to Look for in Life Sciences Translation Services

Using a translation memory for life science texts ensures a high-quality translation, whilst saving time and money.

 

What is a Translation Memory?

A translation memory is a database of previously-translated segments of text. These segments could be sentences or paragraphs about a specific subject. Both the original text (the source text) and the translation (the target text) are kept on file.

When a new text needs to be translated, the computer reads the new source text. It then scans the database for matching or very similar segments from previous source texts. When these are found, the computer will automatically suggest the translation that was used previously.

A translator can accept, edit, or replace the suggested translation, based on their knowledge of the subject. Translation memories provide valuable assistance to translators who can combine translation and editing skills.

 

Translation Memories in Life Sciences

Translation memories should always play a significant role in life sciences translation services. Below, we have listed five ways life sciences can benefit from them:

  1. Employing the Consistent Terminology

Life sciences domains are known for being both niche and technical. At first glance, this may seem like a reason not to use a translation memory; surely there will be fewer correct matches and more room for error? Surprisingly, this isn’t the case.

Documents that contain niche terminology are more frequently subject to thorough proofreading and editing. Therefore, when knowledgeable translators are used, their finished translations will be of the highest quality. The correct terminology that they have used for a life sciences document will then be categorised and stored in the translation memory database for the next translation. 

This creates consistent, accurate terminology both across one document and between documents.

 

  1. Localising Documents

Localisation is the process of ensuring that content is culturally appropriate for the intended audience. Country-specific phrasing, local time and date formats, accepted units of measurement, and other such elements are key to making sure that a translation feels as though it comes directly from a local speaker.

By employing translation memories, culturally appropriate phrases are logged and suggested as needed, ensuring high-quality life sciences localisation.

 

  1. Saving Time

When accurate translations are suggested, translators are able to save time, especially when dealing with documents that contain repetitive segments. With productivity increased, translations can then go to market faster.

 

  1. Keeping Tone of Voice, Style, and Branding

Each organisation, company, or writer has their own unique style. For brands, this tone of voice is what creates a recognisable brand image. Style needs to be taken from the source text and replicated in the new language consistently, each time.

Translation memories allow translators to easily tune into the correct tone of voice for a specific organisation, as phrases and wording are kept on file.

 

  1. Working with a Variety of Formats

Life sciences domains encompass a range of subjects. This means that content can include everything from user manuals and labels to research papers and legal documentation.

Translation memories work to ensure consistency across each type of content, as well as within the same document. The software used also removes distracting formatting, allowing the translator to concentrate efficiently on their work before the formatting is reintroduced.

 

  1. Ensuring High-Quality Work

When human translators use computer software to aid them in their work, it is referred to as computer-assisted translation. In many ways, this captures the best of both worlds. 

The translation memory is able to instantly recall information from previous translations in great detail. The translator can then add a personal and human touch to the translation, double-checking suggestions which had already been checked before being saved in the translation memory originally.

 

Which Translation Company to Choose

It is important for people working in the life sciences domain to choose a translation company with relevant experience and certifications.

Life sciences translations require not only fluency in two languages, but also specialised knowledge of the subject matter at hand.

This is why, at TW Languages, our translators are experts in their fields. We are 17100 certified and specialise in life sciences translation and localisation services. Our linguists pride themselves on delivering high-quality, accurate work.

Having worked with over 200 companies in the field, we have translated approximately 40 million words. You can find out more about our life sciences services in our case study, which details an efficient agrochemical and chemical industry translation.

 

For your free translation and localisation quote, contact us now.

Revealing the Mysteries of Scientific Translation

Revealing the Mysteries of Scientific Translation

“Imagine how underdeveloped science would be, were it not for translation…Each language community would have to discover the entire body of scientific and technical knowledge for itself. This would not simply be a case of reinventing the wheel, but reinventing the wheel dozens, if not hundreds, of times.”

Jody Byrne, scientific and technical translator.

 

The Importance of Scientific Document Translation

Scientific translation encompasses a multitude of areas, from research proposals to patents, from academic papers to product labels. With such a wide reach, scientific companies are now facing the challenge of successfully distributing information in globalised industries that grow by the day.

The goals for spreading this information vary. Companies may wish to share knowledge between industry professionals, reach new customers, increase international profiles, be published in research journals, or fulfil legal language obligations.

Whatever the objective, without scientific translation, new products, research, and discoveries will remain out of reach to those who speak a different language, thus hindering progress and development.

 

Which Languages are The Most Helpful?
There are evidently benefits in having scientific documents translated into widely spoken languages in the scientific community, particularly English. The documents are accessible to more people and they become part of the expanding knowledge base in that area.

However, translating into lesser-spoken languages gives others the chance to fully understand the information in their own language and uninhibited by barriers.

 

Avoiding Scientific Translation Errors

In order to reach either of the above audiences, a translation needs to be high quality. An error-ridden document doesn’t only look unprofessional, it opens up the possibility for serious issues.

In 2017, a Chinese pharmaceutical company was issued with an official warning by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) after it misnamed an active ingredient in its anti-itch product. The Chinese company claims that a translation error caused the potentially dangerous misunderstanding, something that could have been avoided (read more in our article).

The margin of error in a scientific translation can be minimised by choosing a professional translation agency, but they need to have specific skills at their disposal.

Not only do translators need to be fluent in the required languages, they also need to be skilled writers who have in-depth, scientific knowledge in not one, but two languages.

 

Challenges for Professional Scientific Translators
In addition to this need for technical knowledge, there are other challenges scientific translators must to overcome to produce a first-rate piece of work.

Culture

Firstly, a deep understanding of the culture associated with both languages is key for success. How a person interprets a document depends not only on what information is given, but also how it is given. Is a conversational tone appropriate in the culture? Do native speakers use short or long sentences?

As an article from The Times states, “the language in which we communicate affects our confidence and our ability to persuade…and our judgements of the value of new ideas and their authors”. Information presented in an inappropriate way could undermine the scientific facts that are presented.

 

New Concepts

Secondly, there may be concepts, ways of working, job roles, procedures, etc. that do not exist in one of the countries or languages. These need to be fully researched and understood by the translator before they can be explained in the new language.

 

The Difficulty of the Text

Thirdly, technical information can make a text challenging. However, it may be that the way in which a text is written causes it to be difficult to understand; it might use idioms, flowery language, or be purposefully vague. An academic research paper will use a very different factual style to a description of a new product.

 

Choosing a Scientific Translator

Business owners are advised to look for the best translation and localisation company to suit their needs.

For scientific documents, the company should be well-established, experts in the industry, have the correct certifications, and preferably have testimonials from satisfied clients. Translation companies can also use translation memories, which act like glossaries of technical terms, that they can draw on to help you save time and money.

At TW Languages, we are ISO 17100 certified and specialise in the scientific industry. Our translators are linguists with in-depth knowledge of the nuances of language and we pride ourselves on adhering to the highest quality professional standards.

Get in touch to find out about our fast turnaround times, or to discuss your project in more detail.

 

Want to find out more? Read about who we are.

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Watch Out For These Medical Translation Mistakes!

Translation errors happen, sometimes with trivial consequences, other times causing huge damage ─ possibly to the brand’s image, or, on a diplomatic level, they may fracture international relations. All in all, mistranslation is probably the only serious side effect in an industry that connects people, countries and cultures.

 

Irreparable Consequences of Medical Translation Errors

When it comes to medical translation services, partnering with a medical translation agency that makes translation errors is bound to end in tragedy! This is not an area where you can just say “Mistakes happen.” With people’s lives and well-being on the line, there should be zero tolerance for mistakes.

There have been many cases of non-professional translation vendors having committed grave errors resulting in loss of life. So, it is no exaggeration to say that choosing the wrong medical translation agency could increase the likelihood of further fatalities in the future. With this in mind, it is imperative that the highest quality of translation be attained in each and every sector of the healthcare and pharma industry.

 

Tough Regulations for Medical Translation Services

All the stakeholders involved in the medical, healthcare and pharma sectors know quite well that medical translation services are among the most highly regulated sectors of the entire language services industry. On the ground, local, regional and international regulations govern the materials that should be translated and how data is transferred and kept, in addition to regulating the translation process itself.

In most countries, healthcare service vendors are required to translate patient information sheets, marketing materials and forms for clinical trials into the local language of the target market, and, in some countries, into minority languages too.  

As for medical content that targeted at healthcare professionals, patent applications and applications for regulatory approval must be translated in almost all countries around the world.

Almost all regulatory agencies for medical devices across the globe have made it mandatory for manufacturers to translate marketing materials and instructions for medical professionals and patients, as well as user interfaces for device software and firmware.

Across the countries of the European Union, it’s mandatory to translate medical device marketing materials into all 24 official and working languages of the EU member states. In other non-European nations, the marketing materials must be translated into the official language of the target market, and sometimes into minority languages too.

As for pharma translation regulations, they are so stringent that some regulatory bodies may impose formatting requirements for translated documents, such as font size and colors!

 

Examples of Errors in Medical Translation Services

The medical translation services sector is a very serious business, and the accuracy of a translation in this field is both vital and critical.

Let’s take a look at one tragic example that demonstrates the significant role and responsibility of medical translation agencies – the story of Ramirez.

An 18-year-old young man, Ramirez, developed a headache all of a sudden while he was out with his friends and lost consciousness. At the hospital, his family told doctors that he was “intoxicado” which in Spanish can refer to any type of poisoning – in this case, the family suspected food poisoning. However, probably due to its similarity with the English word ‘intoxicated’, it was assumed that he was suffering from a drug overdose and he was treated accordingly. 

Had there been a Spanish translator present at the hospital, they would have given the correct translation to the doctors, who would have then administered the appropriate treatment.   

Instead: Ramirez woke up to find himself paralysed after a brain bleed left him quadriplegic for life. 71 million US dollars were paid out in compensation. The crushing fact, however, is that Ramirez’s condition was treatable, and this life-changing circumstance could have been avoided if it weren’t for this fundamental medical translation error. 

 

Is a Professional Medical Translation Agency the True Panacea?

So, how can healthcare, medical and pharma businesses avoid these pitfalls? The answer is straight and to the point: Just choose the right medical translation agency! Choose a translation partner who will convey the messages of your medical material to all users ─ patients and medical professionals alike ─ in each and every market across the globe? But how do you choose? What are the criteria to look for?

 

Why TW Languages?

At TW Languages, we guarantee an accurate medical translation service. We’re proud of our world-class team of translators, who are not just professional in-country translators, but also qualified and experienced in the medical translation field.

Our team prides themselves on their knowledge of the nuances of all target languages, ensuring that medical terms are accurately translated in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Moreover, TW Languages is an ISO 17100 certified, ATC (Association of Translation Companies) member, and follows the most rigorous quality process in the entire medical translation services industry, covering 250 languages.

 

Don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team today to discuss how we can meet your medical translation needs or to receive a free quote.

Why Do Legal Companies Need Legal Translation Services?

 In 2018, about 2600 legal cases were abandoned or adjourned by UK courts due to a shortage of interpreters and translators. This speaks volumes about the vital importance of legal document translation services ─ not only for the legal profession, but for people from all walks of life.

 

Why Are Legal Translation Services Vital?

Why are experts saying that legal translation services are impacting “people from all walks of life”? The answer is that legal document translation services are by no means about what is happening in law courts only. But why is this?

Let’s look closely together at just one example. In most cases, refugees in any country normally speak languages other than the language of their host country. Yet, they still have to handle dozens of legal documents in order to, for example, change immigration status or deal with any legal actions against them ─ and therefore, they are in need of legal representation. Don’t they require legal document translation services?

 

Why Should Legal Document Translation Services Be Error-free?

Though vitally important and central to the lives of everybody, legal translation is one of the most problematic and challenging translation domains. The reason is that law is culture-dependent by nature, and therefore legal translation requires excellent knowledge of the source and target cultures alike.

What’s more, the legal translation domain is one with zero margin for error, as the mistranslation of a phrase or a passage in a contract or a treaty could have catastrophic consequences. In many countries, people have, regrettably, found themselves facing a prison sentence just because they did not understand what was going on after being arrested and had no legal interpreter to help them defend themselves.

 

Types of Documents That Need Legal Translation Services

Whether you are a lawyer, a law firm, an immigrant, or anyone in need of the translation of a legal document, it’s important for you to make a distinction between legal documents and other types of documents. The following are some of the main types of legal documents:

Immigration Documents

For potential immigrants who, for example, are not fluent in English and wish to immigrate to America or Australia, the accurate translation of immigration paperwork will ensure that they are kept in the loop throughout the immigration process.

Legal Contracts

If your client wants to sign a contract with a person or organisation from a foreign country, it’s necessary for you to translate this vital legal document, otherwise your customer might run the risk of, for instance, receiving financial penalties.

Corporate Documents

Likewise, it’s crucial to translate corporate documents if either your client or yourself work in an overseas country ─ which at the end of the day helps you to save time and prevent a lot of problems.

Financial Records

There is no margin for error when it comes to financial document translations, as mistranslations in this specific area could result in prison time!

Miscellaneous Legal Documents

Ranging from patents to trademark applications, copyright registrations, affidavits, trusts, wills, tenders and witness statements, these important documents require professional legal translation services.

 

How to Select the Best Translation Service Provider

Since legal translations constitute a highly specialised area of the translation industry and need to be handled with the utmost care, it is vital when sourcing legal translation services that the law firm or other business requiring this type of service should be looking for a number of aspects in a translation partner. They include, but are not limited to:

Certification

In an unregulated industry like translation, where many people and agencies can claim that their translations are great (what does “great” mean?!), it’s essential for a provider of legal document translation services to be certified by a higher authority, such as, for example, the Association of Translation Companies (ATC).

Technical Expertise

A reputable law firm or other business must, at the end of the day, select a translation services provider that has a team comprising not only translators specialised in the legal field, but also subject matter experts.

Advanced Technology

To decrease turnaround times and reduce costs while ensuring accuracy and consistency, a suitable translation supplier should be using the latest technology solutions in addition to having the capability to integrate automation and linguists into their translation services.

Confidentiality

There’s no doubt that one of the main features of a reliable translation service provider is their ability to handle your legal documents with the utmost care and confidentiality.

 

Why TW Languages?

If your business, whether in the legal industry or not, is in need of sourcing the right legal document translation services, the testimonials of hundreds of our previous clients will unquestionably lead you to TW Languages. 

At TW Languages, we far outshine other suppliers across the legal translation services industry thanks to many advantages that include:

  •  ISO 17100 certified and a member of ATC (Association of Translation Companies).
  • Top-notch clients: We’ve provided excellent legal document translation services to over 200 leading global businesses that range from SMEs to large corporations and include Cassons and Butcher & Barlow.
  • Rigorous Process: Our process follows a proven methodology, which has so far resulted in delivering translations that exceed the expectations of our clients.  
  • Expert Team: Our team is made up of professional, native translators, with legal-industry-specific expertise, who consistently deliver an error-free legal document translation service. They pride themselves on having translated about 40 million words in this field

 

If you would like to take advantage of the outstanding legal translation service from TW Languages, please get in touch.

Why’s Technical Translation More Expensive?

Whether you need technical translation services in the UK or elsewhere, high quality makes the difference between a professional translation and an improvised one. What’s more, accurate, first-rate technical translation services are becoming increasingly necessary at a time when a wide range of tech industries are rapidly growing, selling their products across the globe, and are thus in need of finding ways to communicate their message to various target audiences free from error or ambiguity. 

 

Should Technical Translation Services Be Accurate?

When it comes to translation of technical content, nothing should be left to chance, as this type of translation requires an understanding of specific technical terminology, along with extensive specialist knowledge of the products themselves. 

Moreover, your business cannot afford to compromise quality in this specific area. There are many reasons for this, which include but are not limited to the following:

  • Let’s suppose that a single word, which appears continually throughout your document, is mistranslated – This would certainly wreak havoc, with people failing to understand the content frequently calling your business’ support line, thus increasing your company’s customer support costs, in addition to creating an army of highly dissatisfied clients!
  • Working with poor translation agencies or carelessly depending on online translation tools will ultimately result in misleading safety instructions. Many products are currently offered with safety warnings about equipment operation. Should these instructions be translated incorrectly, people may get hurt, which could, in turn, have dire liability consequences. Beware of going to court!

 

Why Are Technical Translation Services More Expensive?

That said, chances are that your company will be paying a bit more for professional technical translation services. So, the question remains: why are technical translation services more expensive than the translation of other types of content? For now, suffice to say the high cost may be attributed to the following reasons:

  1. Integrated Process: The technical translation services process comprises of a lot of elements in addition to just text translation – including steps such as glossary creation, editing & proofreading, quality checks, correction of any errors, review by an in-country expert, and, lastly, final review & delivery. It goes without saying that these consecutive steps will ensure the accuracy, professionalism and reliability of the final translated technical text despite the higher cost!
  2. Expert Knowledge at a Cost! Needless to say, the translation and localisation of a wide range of technical company materials, from software to manufacturing gear to aircrafts, requires translators who have technical expertise and special, mostly industry-specific knowledge. Understandably, these native-speaking subject matter experts are highly paid in comparison to mediocre translators.
  3. Desktop Publishing: Businesses usually submit their original pieces of content to translation vendors in the form of digitally designed manuals, which may contain a lot of visuals and graphs with embedded content. Once translated, the content may have to be formatted to resemble the original content design ─ a technique called Desktop Publishing (DTP), which also raises the cost of the translation project.

 

How to Cut the Cost of Technical Translation Services?

But don’t panic! There are still many ways that make it possible for your business to control the high cost of technical translation services ─ including the use of Translation Memory technology (TM). Its numerous tools can help reuse translations, which usually results in significantly cutting project costs. Moreover, if your technical translation project comprises of enormous quantities of technical material in an unstructured format, you can, in this case, move your content to a structured format. Structured authoring tools can considerably reduce the cost of desktop publishing tasks.

 

How to Choose the Best Technical Translation Services Provider?

When it comes to the important decision on which technical translation services company is the right fit for your company, you should avoid basing your choice solely on price or turnaround time.  Accordingly, what are the decisive factors for preferring one technical translation services partner to another one? In fact, there are many criteria, but, for now, let’s focus on the following:

  1. Experience: The experience which the translation agency might have in technical translation matters a lot. Another important factor is the technical translation services provider’s advantage of hiring translators who are versed in the industry-specific specialism as well as holding high-level language qualifications.
  2. History: Your business should look for clients who have previously dealt with the translation agency that you’ve chosen, with a view to identifying both its strengths and weaknesses. This is a crucial step before making your final decision.
  3. Translation Memory: As it’s likely that your business will need to have similar content translated in the future, it’s imperative that you choose a technical translation services provider that has an excellent translation memory technology, which will help retain full consistency of all your translated content in addition to cutting the cost of your upcoming projects.

 

Why TW Languages?

If your translation project is in the technical domain, TW Languages will undoubtedly be your choice, because we pride ourselves on the following advantages, which are not shared by other translation companies:

  •   TW Languages is an ISO 17100 certified and a member of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC).
  •   We’ve provided our second-to-none technical translation services to more than 200 companies and translated about 40 million words in this field.
  •   We’ve put in place a rigorous quality process, with a proven methodology, which has given highly satisfactory results to many clients.
  •   Our team of technical translators comprises of highly experienced, professional, native translators who cover over 250 languages, and are passionate about delivering high-quality technical translation services to all our customers, whether large or small.
  •   We place a high premium on reliability, confidentiality and timely delivery of the translated content.
  •   We provide country-specific localisation services, which consider colours and iconography in addition to the written word, so that you can be confident that all documentation, labelling and packaging are culturally appropriate for each of your particular markets.

 

You can leave it to TW Languages’ expert teams to deliver your translated content with the highest quality and within the agreed time schedules. Contact us to provide the details of your requirements and we will be happy to handle them with the utmost professionalism.

How are Healthcare Technology and Translation Shaping the Healthcare Industry’s Future?

Whether in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, the key factor in judging the level of healthcare in any given country is definitely people’s access to healthcare services, an aspect which substantially differs across individuals, communities and countries.

Even though people’s access to medical care services is usually impacted by numerous social and economic conditions, the world is currently witnessing a substantial breakthrough, with major advancements in the fields of technology and translation that contribute to spreading healthcare concepts and information into more and more territories across the globe as well as bringing them to more beneficiaries ─ regardless of gender, age, geographic location or cultural background. The bottom line is that by means of both healthcare technology and translation, healthcare services are presently being provided to more and more individuals and communities in the four corners of Mother Earth.

 

One Challenge, Two Solutions!

Since English is, more or less, the universal language of medicine, we are in a situation featuring one challenge and two solutions. The challenge or the problem is that there is no doubt that one of the main limitations to the reasonable and timely provision of healthcare services anywhere across the globe is people’s inability to communicate with healthcare providers, especially amongst limited English proficiency (LEP) individuals and communities. As for the two solutions, guess what? Technology and translation?!

 

Technology to the Benefit of Patients

Believe it or not, technology ─ as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Deep Learning, or the Internet of Medical Things IoMT ─ is currently changing the global landscape of health services in multiple areas, including, but not limited to, instant care management, hospital process management and predictive healthcare.

Among the latest uses of technology in healthcare, one of the most remarkable is the thrilling breakthrough of telemedicine, which expands patients’ access to healthcare services via removing such barriers as high costs and difficult transportation, and so grants patients the opportunity to receive medical care from the comfort of their homes ─ through the use of such tools as live audio, instant messages, email, and live video. In spite of a few limitations and risks which can limit the potential of telehealth ─ such as telemedicine’s inability to fully replace physical examination in the areas of diagnosticsrehabilitation or mental health ─ a lot of medical branches are increasingly embracing this rising trend, with a view to helping communities across the world by providing patient-centred care, reducing healthcare costs, and hence saving lives.

 

Translation and Bridging the Gap

As for its role in shaping the future of the healthcare industry, translation is, on the whole, playing a fundamental role in the exchange of information between different languages and cultures. When it comes to the healthcare content in particular, translation has been catering to the growing globalized need for getting healthcare providers’ messages to the desired recipients in a clear and accurate manner.

Significantly, the non-stop advancements in healthcare technology and the progressive rise in the universal volume of translated and localised healthcare content are integrating to revolutionise the level of engagement between patients, clinicians, and health care service providers ─ by creating online and social media patient communities that make it possible for patients and their families to learn more about their diseases and seek medical advice as well as connect with other individuals or communities who are affected by the same disease.

 

Why TW Languages?

Therefore, selecting the right translation and localization services provider in the sensitive field of healthcare is becoming more and more challenging. TW Languages, a UK registered company, is an ISO 17100 certified language service provider that boasts extensive hands-on experience in translating and localising medical, pharmaceutical and healthcare content into up to 250 languages ─ with the highest quality along with the fastest turnaround. The company is known for its excellent record of having catered to the needs of over 200 companies and having translated about 40 million words in the field of healthcare.

What’s more, TW Languages prides itself on having an in-country team of distinguished translators who are native speakers and qualified linguists devoted to ensuring that your medical and healthcare content is accurately translated and localised to suit your specific target markets ─ so as to convey the correct message in the desired tone. 

 

Please contact us with the details of any translation requirements you may have and we will be happy to fulfill them with the utmost professionalism.

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Healthcare Translation Services in the UK

Healthcare Translation Services in the UK

Questions To Help You Find A Medical Translation Company

5 Questions To Help You Find A Medical Translation Company

With many businesses offering medical translation services, you could be under the misconception that getting any form of medical translation carried out is a simple process.

However, not all medical translation services are carried out by skilled, experienced and qualified medical translators, meaning that one slip of the keyboard could lead to misinformation, serious reputational damage to your company brand or worse still, legal action.

Therefore, we’ve created a helpful guide which outlines the questions you will need to ask to ensure that you receive a high-quality medical translation service completely free from errors.

Here are five questions to help guide your selection process and ensure you engage with the right medical translation service:

 

  1.     Can you share with me any evidence of appropriate qualifications and certifications you hold?

All reputable medical document translation service providers will be happy to provide you with details and evidence of their qualifications in this area. Failure to ask for such documentation could lead you to engage with a company with little knowledge of the sector nor the implications surrounding the use of words, tone, and structure. Make this your first priority when seeking a medical translation company.

It’s also advisable to ask for details of any memberships of translation associations or other professional bodies such as The Association of Translation Companies (ATC) and the European Union of Associations of Translation Companies (EUATC). Organisations like these strive to promote the best editorial standards which are critical when trusting someone with your medical document translation.

 

  1.     What are your processes for handling medical translations?

The best medical document translation companies will have a robust method in place to create each translated piece. There will be usually a structure in place to ensure that each document is triple checked for accuracy in language, medical terminology, and grammar.

Opt for a company that uses more than one individual to create your piece of documentation and uses up-to-date technologies and in-depth research methods rather than one that offers lower than average prices or very fast turnarounds.

 

  1.     Can you explain your quality assurance methods?

By asking your shortlisted medical document translation service providers to explain their quality assurance methods, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether to trust them with your medical data. This will also give you peace of mind that they have established structures and work processes in place to consistently deliver high-quality medical translations within agreed deadlines.

You might also want to ask them for their amendment rate as this will give you an idea of how many amendments it typically takes for them to get each medical document spot on.

 

  1.     Which translation tools do you use?

Any medical translation company worth their hourly rate should have a plethora of tools at their fingertips to ensure consistency throughout the document. One of the most commonly used in the industry is the translation memory Tool, so use this as the bare minimum you’d be willing to accept when seeking a new medical document translation service.

 

  1.     How do you deal with data protection issues?

Finally, discovering if the company in question adheres to all current UK and EU regulations on data protection is imperative when trusting a company with your medical translation needs.

They should have a thorough understanding of GDPR regulations and the Data Protection Act as well as fortress-safe internal processes for safeguarding the personal data of patients where needed.

 

With the UK medical community spending in excess of £100 million per year on the translation of medical documentation into 128 different languages, it is essential that you closely scrutinise any organisation before you trust them with your sensitive data.

 

TW Languages has supported more than 200 companies in the medical field and has translated more than 40 million words for medical documents around the world.

With a fast turnaround and ISO 17100 certification, our specialised translators and linguists are able to translate medical documents into more than 250 languages. We guarantee a professional and high-quality service at all times.

Get in touch with our team today to find out more.

Localisation: Do It Right, Reach A New Height!

What is Localisation?

Where almost half of the global population communicates by the means of merely 10 different languages, the rest of the people use nearly 6000 different languages and dialects. This vast lingual diversity makes it very challenging for businesses to become ever-present despite the disappearing of other trade barriers, making localisation one of the most necessary and demanded language services in the industry. Defined as the process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market, localisation is much more than just direct translation of product specifications or benefits, it is about carefully refining and adapting content to resonate with cultures and to meet local peculiarities.

In addition to translation, localisation process may also include modifying content to suit the tastes and consumption habits, using proper local formats for currencies, units of measure, dates, addresses, colours, symbols and phone numbers, and addressing local conventions, regulations, and legal requirements. The aim of localisation is to give the product the look and feel of being created specifically for the target market to communicate effectively to global audiences.

 

Chemical Industry Localisation in the UK

In the chemical industry, as one of the largest, most important and most quickly flourishing industries worldwide, localisation service is considered a key player in customer reach and industry expansion. Noteworthy companies, who influence the chemical industry, as well as other industries, including Johnson Matthey, Synthomer, Croda International, Elementis, and Victrix that gained the highest revenue of the leading chemical companies in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2018, developed new methods of expansion depending on localisation, where Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are considered as places to build capacity, tap local talent and access new customers.

Aiming to successfully commercialise chemical products in many local markets and survive the pressures of global competition, the companies developed product campaigns that have been subjected to translation and localisation to the highest standards of quality. Also, in order to pass regulatory audits in different world markets, documentation – such as technical dossiers, Chemical Safety Reports (CSR), and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), operational manuals, marketing materials, Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPC), and other vital material – should have been presented in the local language of each country according to its regulations.

For example, in Europe, companies have to fulfill the requirements of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals), which addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment, REACH also established the European Chemicals Agency that manages the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of the regulations. REACH states that documentation must be in the language of each member state where products are sold.

 

Companies That Did It Just RIGHT!

To understand the true extent and impact of localisation, let us investigate some examples where companies could achieve exactly what they intended from the executed campaigns.

Croda was so excited to launch their new ‘Be Skinspired’ formulation campaign, which would showcase its formulation expertise. Building on the novel formulations and themes previewed at the in-cosmetics trade show in Paris, France, Croda were establishing themselves as the ‘go to’ company for formulation expertise by addressing each audience in his own way. The ‘Be Skinspired’ formulation campaign adapted well and addressed the meant audience where they targeted; asserting that the truly inspired skin care formulations would contain novel Croda ingredients, natural botanical ingredients from Crodarom and ingredients from Sederma’s range of skin care actives. Combining these essential building blocks is a winning formula for the creation of the perfect total formulation package. Corda achieved the expected success because they took the time to study, plan, and localise it.

 

Essentials To Consider While Localising

Though chemical companies often spend millions launching global campaigns to achieve their targets, it would end up into something that was not exactly intended in the target country, sometimes with emphatic offensive results because of an unnoticed mistake in using names, colors, numbers, symbols or even gestures. This is where localisation helps prevent such fatal errors by supporting a more appealing user experience for your diversifying clientele and increasing your overall customer conversions.

In essence, localisation success depends on the fine balance between having a worldwide brand that your customers can easily recognise and ensuring that the brand is ‘localised’ enough for people in different cultures to be able to relate to and understand. This is why there is  a number of simple things you should overlook when localising your global online presence, including:

  • Using the correct standard terminology
  • Following regulations and conforming to the requirements of leading industry associations
  • Localising the contact details such as Postcodes/Zip codes, street names, and numbers and currency choice
  • Offering country specific delivery options
  • Setting payment choices with attention to the cultural payment preferences
  • Ensuring refined and professional translation with much care to the local specifications.

 

TW Languages  Localisation Services

TW Languages – the professional, multi-lingual translation services provider– provides its quality business translations to organisations throughout the world. Our top clients include, and not limited to, Kaizo, Luxson, and Pearson UK, with whom we actively adopted localisation and translation projects of applications, style guides, brand slogans, and advertisements.

We offer precise translation and localisation solutions developed and performed by our experienced and most talented translators and linguists, working with a primary approach to combine the latest technologies with the human perception to preserve the context. TW Languages has built-in content management solutions that can effectively translate HTML files, in addition to the capability and bandwidth to work alongside WordPress, Joomla, TYPO3, and certain e-commerce platforms, precisely for integrating translations directly at the core of the concerned website.

If your business strategy focuses on increasing revenue, market share and customer base, localisation is then a necessity for that business.

Localise your business now and deliver your message exactly the way you want.

FUTURE GROUP ACQUIRED TW Languages TO EXPAND UK MARKET SHARE AND BOOST SERVICES

Language expert Future Group is expanding its share of the UK language services market by merging two of its companies. The move comes as the Group aims to provide more value and a greater number of specialist services to customers throughout the United Kingdom.

The Future Group-owned Lang2Lang will merge with new acquisition, TW Languages (TWL). Whilst both of these companies are respected names in the language services sector, the merger will bring resources and expertise together to help even more customers ensure their message always hits the right target.

Language is all-too-often a great barrier to superb communication, and as more and more businesses go global, the need to ensure accurate, time-sensitive translation has never been more important. Through a combination of localisation and translation services to suit every industry, the Future Group brand is a mark of quality – no matter how large or small the task.

Translation and localisation are two areas best left to the experts, so that nuances of communication can cut through and reach their intended audience without confusion. TWL is best known for a number of projects in the technical and scientific arena; by joining the Future Group and Lang2Lang brands, TWL will now also have access to a wider range of resources, including the technology required to implement an exacting standard of translation.

Partnering with Lang2Lang ensures the business retains all existing company values, personality, individuality and ethos – without missing out on the latest developments in translation technology. In short, everyone benefits from the merger, including the all-important end customer.

“This merger is a major stride towards more innovative services for our customers,” says Ali ElSawi, Managing Director at TWL. “Whilst we already pride ourselves on delivering an extremely high standard of translation, this can only improve as we centralise projects via one vendor. There are great opportunities for our upcoming projects to not only be more efficient, but more profitable for our customers.”

Find out more about Future Group at the official website www.f-g.com. To discover Lang2Lang, head to www.lang2lang.co.uk. For more information on TW Languages, visit the company online at www.twlanguages.com.