The Top 5 Language Tips for Medical Tourists

When travelling overseas for a medical procedure, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear that there might be a language barrier between you and your doctor. Medical tourism has come a long way, and international facilities offer many communication and translation services for tourists seeking medical treatment. That being said, medical tourists still need to be prepared with the right information in order to navigate the healthcare system of another country — especially if they don’t speak the native language.

Medical jargon is confusing enough on its own, but there are steps that you can take to make sure that you avoid feeling lost in translation. Welocalize Life Sciences compiled a list of language tips for tourists to follow before seeking healthcare abroad. These are the top five:

1. Translate your medical history beforehand. Detail any major illnesses, medication, allergies, etc. and avoid abbreviations. If you do have a medical emergency and no one can speak English, you can at least produce this document with your vital healthcare information. Find a professional translation agency to do it for you. Don’t rely on free websites or translation software.

2. Ask for information to be provided in your language. If not, does the medical facility have access to on-site interpreters? Or, do they have other English-speaking staff?

3. Use a telephone interpreting service. There are several companies that provide immediate access to interpreters via telephone. You can also bring along a prepaid interpreter card. These cards provide pay-as-you-go interpretation between English and a number of other languages.

4. Know your emergency contacts. Ask the consulate, your medical travel agent or hotel concierge if there is an emergency resource available, similar to a “9-1-1” service in the U.S. Note that in some countries, there are different emergency contact numbers for police versus ambulatory care. Tip: Here is a country-by-country list of emergency telephone numbers.

5. Bring resources with you. Carry a foreign language translation dictionary or a pocket translator with you at all times in case you do run into difficulties and need a little help making yourself understood. Most smartphones also have downloadable apps; however, keep in mind the cost of international data and roaming charges.

You can read the full list here.