Why Is Medical Translation Important?

It is imperative to understand patients in the medical field, and misinterpretation of a term is very dangerous. Latin languages such as Spanish or French have words that are very similar or even identical to English; however, in the medical field, they do not have the same meaning. For example, "intoxicated" in English means that the patient overdoses on a drug... but in Spanish, "intoxicate" means poison.

This has already happened in the United States; Willie Ramirez had quadriplegia because of this erroneous translation. The hospital did not use a certified interpreter; the hospital treated him for a drug overdose while the patient was bleeding from the brain.

He woke up as a person with quadriplegia. This incident cost the hospital $71 million in compensation.

With Lingolet, you have access to more than 4,000 translators in over 200 languages. You can choose a certified interpreter in a specific field: choose between medical, legal, and commercial. Interpreters are available in less than 30 seconds: this allows the hospital to have quality translations available quickly. 

Also, our interpreters are certified and bound by professional secrecy, which guarantees the protection of patient data.

Learn more about medical translation: 

 

• Why are medical translation errors unacceptable, and how can they be avoided

• Is there a difference in medical language between Quebec French and French from France?
   

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