Historically, foreign language interpretation involved bringing a person who spoke the languages of the patient and health care provider into the clinical setting. With the advancement of technology the interpretation options are not solely limited to on-site interpretation. Now interpretation over the phone and via secure Internet video provide further options (and advantages) beyond traditional on-site interpretation.
So how does one decide which mode of interpretation is the best for their situation? The answer will most likely involve a number of factors.
Interpreter availability – Depending on the prevalence of the limited English proficient (LEP) patient’s language, it may or may not be easy to locate a qualified interpreter. In most cases, it’s easy to locate someone who speaks Spanish, but do they have the medical bilingual vocabulary to provide accurate interpretation? Sometimes family members are asked by the LEP patient to interpret, but rarely does the family member know the bilingual terms for medical conditions and procedures. For less prevalent dialects spoken in remote African regions or on secluded South Pacific islands, the nearest interpreter may be thousands of miles away. In this case, scheduling an on-site interpreter isn’t necessarily realistic for less common languages and an alternative interpretation option must be selected.
Urgency –If a Spanish interpreter is needed in an emergency, our video remote interpretation is available 24/7. Other less-common languages are best served through over-the-phone interpretation when there is a high degree of urgency.
If an interpretation session is scheduled and visual communication is desired, video remote or on-site interpretation may be the optimal choice.
Cost – From a purely economic perspective, short-term interpretation is best served by over-the-phone interpretation. However, the “per hour” crossover point is around 50 minutes (depending on the language) compared to on-site interpretation. In many cases on-site interpreters charge a one or two hour minimum plus they may charge for mileage as well as travel time.
In comparing video remote interpretation to on-site interpretation, the crossover point ranges from 20 to 40 minutes, again relative to the language prevalence and on-site hourly minimum charges.
In general, if an interpretation session will be two hours or longer, an on-site interpreter makes the most economic sense.
Visual requirements – In some cases, visual and non-verbal communication is essential to the interpretation session. If a patient communicates through sign language, the only real interpretation options are on-site or video remote interpretation.
Cultural issues – Different cultures have different stigmas associated with controversial medical issues. Some cultures may categorically disdain people who are dealing with mental health issues, sexually-transmitted diseases or culturally non-accepted therapies. If the LEP patient is part of a small cultural community based on language, the patient may prefer to have a remote interpreter who is less likely to interact with their local cultural group. Over-the-phone interpretation provides the highest level of anonymity if patient identification issues are a factor. The issue of anonymity may be especially important if the patient is a foreign dignitary. (It should be noted that all interpreters are required to adhere to the highest privacy standards under HIPAA and HITECH laws.)
Procedures or therapies – Some medical procedures require different levels of privacy. For example, OB/GYN and other urogenital examinations would not be appropriate for video remote interpretation. In these cases, on-site or over-the-phone interpretation provided by like-gendered interpreters would be strongly advised.
The following table provides a suggested mode of interpretation for various medical situations.
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Medical situation
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Interpretation mode
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Note
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Emergency Room
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VRI
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Non-verbal communication included and readily available interpreters
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Patient admitting
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Telephonic
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Short-notice on patient arrival
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Inpatient hospital room
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Telephonic
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Variable needs and on-demand availability for when the doctor makes rounds
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Scheduling patient appointments
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Telephonic
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Most scheduling takes place over the phone
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Surgery
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On-Site
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Offers the highest level of versatility for communication with the patient and family
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Laboratory and Radiology
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On-site
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Offers interpretation versatility for MRI conditions or situations where a speaker system is used
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Cancer on-going treatments
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VRI
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Visual connection with the interpreter provides a closer connection with the patient during this time
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End of Life appointments
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On-Site
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Requires the delicate, human touch that on-site interpretation can provide
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Physician office visit
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On-Site
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Provides the highest level of versatility
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OB/GYN
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On-Site
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Provides the highest sense of personal privacy
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Regular dental check-Up
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VRI
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Cost-effective yet allows for non-verbal communication
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Teeth cleaning
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Telephonic
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Lowest cost for routine procedures
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Mental health
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On-Site
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Provides the highest sense of personal privacy
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Pharmacy
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Telephonic
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Wide variety of languages available on short notice
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Call us to learn more about our interpretation option.
Not long ago, the only way to communicate with someone who spoke a language other than English was to contract with an interpreter to come to your location. The interpreter would arrive and play the role of a “conduit,” converting messages into the appropriate language. The on-site interpretation process worked fine but interpreters found that they needed to charge an hourly minimum to cover their costs, especially when the appointment lasted for only a couple minutes.
The age of technology expanded the delivery of interpretation services. The telephone conference call made it possible to have the English speaking person, the limited English proficiency person (LEP) and the interpreter in different locations, even different time zones. Telephonic interpretation also afforded the interpretation of less common languages, since not every community has a Chin-Hahka interpreter to provide on-site services.
Because of the growing capabilities of wireless computer networks connected to tablet computer and “smart phones,” interpretation is now available via video conference. The combination of the visual and auditory elements of communication offers the on-site interpretation experience without the additional mileage and transportation costs.
Deciding which form of interpretation is best for your situation isn’t always straight forward. Each mode of interpretation has its own set of strengths and disadvantages. HealthLink Interpreters, a division of CTS LanguageLink, has provided a table to help you determine which type of interpretation is right for your needs.
From a cost perspective, over-the-phone interpretation will generally cost the least per minute for sessions shorter than one and a half hours. Over-the-phone interpretation also avails itself to the most languages, as the interpreter can virtually be anywhere in the world, and most languages are available at a moment’s notice. Obviously, American Sign Language interpretation is not appropriate for over-the-phone interpretation.
On-site interpretation is often preferred for several reasons. This is the most familiar form of interpretation, and having the interpreter in the same room supports the intimate nature of communication. Finding an on-site interpreter for less-common languages can be difficult, especially if the interpreter needs to have specialized training in medical or social services terminology. The costs associated with on-site can be higher since one or two hour minimums are normal contract stipulations.
Video remote interpreting (VRI) is a hybrid of over-the-phone interpretation and on-site interpretation. The basic visual communication components of on-site interpretation are combined with the convenience and per minute cost structure of telephonic interpretation. VRI is similar to a video conference, except that a person may select the desired language to be interpreted, the specialization of the interpreter, and the gender of the interpreter. As one would expect, VRI costs more per minute than telephonic interpretation, but much less than on-site interpretation for appointments lasting, on average, less than 30 minutes.
The good news is that CTS LanguageLink provides all of these services, 24/7.
For more information about our interpretation services, feel free to call us.
BLOG POST BY: Jerry, Marketing Director
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Translation can be a costly endeavor especially when translating into multiple languages. To help our clients maximize their budget without sacrificing quality translation, we provide cost-effective solutions to meet their needs. I want to share just a few best practices that will help you better plan and budget for your translation project.
Write With an International Audience in Mind from the Start
If you anticipate your document being translated in the future, plan for it now. Write your English copy with an international audience in mind. Remember that many English words can have more than one meaning. It is also important to clearly identify your target audience. Are there certain reading levels, literacy issues, industry specific terminology, possible regional dialects that need to be addressed? To that end, make sure that your message is conveyed clearly, without any abstract ideas, colloquialisms, or culturally sensitive material that may pose an extra challenge for your translation team. Also, proofread carefully to make sure all English (or source) grammar is correct.
The concept of writing with an international audience in mind may also apply to the layout of your document. For most languages, the text may expand up to 30% when translating from English into the target language. Also, some languages such as Arabic and Farsi have a right-to-left text orientation, or require special fonts that may require more space. If the English layout is not designed to accommodate text growth or special fonts, this may drive up the formatting cost to fix. Many common layout issues can be avoided if the designer plans ahead and is aware of the issues involved when laying out a document intended for translation. Visit our DTP Best Practices for more.
Develop Pre-Translation Tools: Standard Glossary & Style Guide Development
For projects with a high volume word count and are complex in overall project scope, we recommend developing a standard glossary and style guide to help ensure consistency. These pre-translation tools will help save money and time for subsequent projects that may require updating or new translation.
A translation glossary is a reference for proper terminology. It helps eliminate the guess work on how to translate terms that are specific to your industry or business, or just to adhere to stylistic preferences. If there is terminology within your organization that needs to be standardized or translated in a certain way, this should be addressed before any translation work begins.
A style guide is a set of rules to help determined the tone of translations, visual and textual style, reading levels, fonts, use of metrics, and how to handle linguistic issues such as text expansion, grammar, etc.
Investing the extra money and time upfront to develop these translation tools can help you in the long run. Most importantly, these tools ensure that you will receive quality and consistent translation on budget and on time!
If you would like to learn more about other cost saving tips, feel free to email us at blog@ctslanguagelink.com or check back in with our blog for more to come!
BLOG POST BY: Keri, DTP specialist
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I've learned some things about global communication since I've been here at CTS. One of the main things--and probably my favorite thing--is that true communication takes forethought, not an afterthought. If you want to be a class-act communicator, you have to think like your target audience, explore their culture, learn how they learn, tailor your message to meet there needs. This is often called cultural adaptation. For instance, if you want to translate your company's training manual into Japanese and Spanish, you may need to make sure that the tone of your English manual will sit as well with your Japanese-speaking collegues as it does with your Spanish-speaking collegues. If not, you may wish to consider re-writing part or all of your manual using a tone your Japanese readers will respect (for something like a training manual, they would use a formal tone).
How much time you are willing to invest in global communication depends largely on your motivation. Are you translating just enough information to, say, comply with government mandates? In that case, your motivation would be pure and simple bare-minimum compliance. Or, are you at the opposite end of the spectrum where you realize that global is where it's at? You are motivated by the realization that there is a very large world out there that needs to know what you know, to be part of what you have to offer.
In our production department here at CTS LanguageLink, we can recognize projects motivated by the former and by the latter. And we would never judge--we want to translate everything for everybody. But it it a breath of fresh air to get a project where it's obvious that the client did their homework and wants to produce materials that will really reach their target audience on all levels. These are the clients we know are motivated by a genuine desire to communicate. And that motivates us to be just a little bit more excited about our jobs.
As a bit of a side note, I've been interested in this level of communication since about a year ago when one of our business partners, Dr. Andrea Edmundson, CEO of eWorldLearning, Inc., gave a presentation here. What her company does is fascinating, and I say that free of charge--this is not a plug in any way. If you are interested in learning more, her company's website is simply www.eworldlearning.com.
You stay classy, communicators.
Comments or questions? Email blog@ctslanguagelink.com
~Keri
BLOG POST BY: Linguistic Resources Department, CTS LanguageLink
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恭喜發財
This Sunday, begins Chinese New Year, often called "Lunar New Year" and is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Here is a very brief history and explanation of the significance of this holiday and celebration.
THE CHINESE NEW YEAR
The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Like the Western calendar, the Chinese Lunar Calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon. Therefore, because of this cyclical dating, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. This year it falls on February 14th.
The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the twelve years after an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying "This is the animal that hides in your heart."
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
Year of 2010 is the Year of a Golden Tiger, which begins on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011. The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs and is a sign of courage. This fearless and fiery fighter is revered by the ancient Chinese as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. In many Asian cultures, the tiger features as a manifestation of courage, power, passion and royalty.
New Year Greeting:
恭喜發財
Chinese translation:
Wish you prosperity.
May you be happy and prosperous!
Wishing you a prosperous new year!
For more on the Chinese New Year, here are just a couple sites we like:
http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/zodiacs.htm
http://www.history.com/content/chinesenewyear/traditions-and-symbols
Which animal is hiding in your heart?
Questions or comments, email us at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
BLOG POST BY: Andrea, our eLearning specialist, CEO of eWorldLearning, Inc.
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I often tell clients that they need to recognize their own cultural values when they are trying to do business in another country or market to different cultures. In general, I get the ‘yes, we know' response. However, the reality is that, while we may recognize these differences, we don't adapt easily - because of our own cultural values - and subsequently, companies either lose existing customers or completely ignore new market opportunities.
Here's a recent example from the news:
In many non-U.S. countries, there is a strident rivalry among cricket teams. Recently, a well-known American company, Kentucky Fried Chicken, ran an advertisement in Australia showing a "...white Australian cricket fan subduing boisterous black West Indians fans by sharing his fried chicken." In my experience with culture, this was a very clever and appropriate way in which to get the attention of Australian cricket fans...and the fans of KFC. However, when some Americans viewed the ad, they were ‘offended' because they felt it represented a common derogatory stereotype of blacks, based on our history of slavery. Well, that may be the case in the U.S., but such a comparison in Australia was meaningless! See it here: KFC ad
How does this relate to opportunities in other markets?
Here's a prime example that I often encounter:
Training companies want to offer or market their courses (classroom-based or online) internationally. However, they do little or no ‘market research' on what is appropriate or desirable in another country or culture. In addition, they often cluster groups of countries or cultures together as being similar, (i.e., all Asian countries, all Latin American ones, etc.). Either approach is hazardous. For example, consider the leadership traits we extort and value in American leadership courses: Empowerment, achievement, decision-making, and so forth. However, in contrast, some of the most desirable leadership traits in China are holistic thinking, indirectness, and wisdom. How then, will an American leadership course reach a Chinese market? Yes, the Chinese will read your materials and maybe even review a course, because they have a keen interest - academically - on how western leadership practices work. However, the key challenges are:
Will they BUY your course?
Will they LOVE your course?
Will they require all their employees to take it?
Will they ADOPT your techniques?
My challenge is to find the true innovators who recognize an undervalued market by being willing to address - and embrace - cultural differences as opportunities.
If businesses can at least become comfortable with the values of learners in other countries, they can begin to compete in a global market. I am waiting for some elearning or training company to be the first to capture this market! Simple CULTURAL ANALYSIS can show how a course will or will not work for learners in another culture or country...such as knowing whether it's easy for them to understand, if the context is culturally relevant, and so forth. That's why we - eWorld Learning, Inc. - work so closely with CTS LanguageLink. In addition to translation and localization, we offer CULTURAL AUDITS of any educational materials destined for another country or culture. We review courses, materials, manuals, etc. from the perspective of instructional design to the media used (sound, audio, images) to the types of learner assessment techniques used. All of these aspects of teaching and training are different in other countries and cultures.
My question is: "What can we do to convince American companies that addressing cultural differences in learning is critical - to their success as businesses and to the success of their learners?" Hope to hear from you soon.
More questions or comments on this subject? Email us at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
Regards, Andrea
BLOG POST BY: Pam, our Chief Operations Officer
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As a language services company, clients frequently ask us to provide "certified" interpreters and/or translators for specific projects and languages. Many times, it's obvious that the client has heard the term "certified," but may not fully comprehend what this means or the limitations of such.
My first blog in this series will focus on translator certification programs, while the second will address interpreter certification. But first, a basic definition of the difference between the work of an interpreter versus that of a translator for, although the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a significant difference in the skill set required for each.
Translation: A translator's skill set is with the written word and being able to capture the essence of a source language document and communicate its meaning in the target language, using that language's rules, spelling and sentence structure. Typically, translator certification exams focus on a translator's comprehension of the source language text, translation techniques, and writing skills in the target language.
Interpretation: An interpreter works with the spoken word, transferring speech from a source language into a target language. Typically, interpreter certification exams focus on an interpreter's ability to hear, analyze and faithfully render meaning from one language to another using the oral, rather than written, mode of communication.
Unlike many other professions such as lawyers, doctors, and architects, there is not an official national or board exam professional translators must pass in order to become "certified". However, linguists may pursue certification through state programs, translation associations, or colleges and universities. Bear in mind that certification may be limited to certain language pairs as illustrated in the programs below. That said, finding a "certified" translator for some languages may be impossible due to the limited certification programs in place.
Translator Certification Programs: The premier translator certification program in the United States is administered through the American Translators Association (ATA). Currently, the ATA only certifies the following language pairs:
From English Into English
Chinese Arabic
Croatian Croatian
Dutch Danish
Finnish Dutch
French French
German German
Hungarian Hungarian
Italian Italian
Japanese Japanese
Polish Polish
Portuguese Portuguese
Russian Russian
Spanish Spanish
Ukrainian
Other organizations, such as the State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) also administer certification exams in a limited number of languages. For example, Washington State DSHS offers translator certification from English into Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Laotian, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Additionally, some colleges and universities, such as the Monterey Institute of International Studies, offer degree programs in translation and interpretation. Others, such as New York University (NYU), offer actual translator certification. Again, these programs are only offered in a limited number of languages. For example, NYU provides translator certification in the following language pairs:
From English to: French, Portguese, Spanish
Into English from: Arabic, French, German, Spanish
The conclusion to be drawn from all of this is that, for some languages, such as Spanish, translator certification programs are available through many different avenues and there is a wealth of certified translators with expertise in various subject matter areas. For the majority of language pairs, such as English into Farsi or Hindi or Somali, there is no US-based translator certification program available.
Those clients who request translator "certification" for these types of language pairs are virtually asking for the impossible. In these circumstances it is far better to rely on the language services company to find a qualified, professional translator with expertise in the subject matter area than to insist that the agency find a "certified" translator.
If you have any questions, send me an email at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
Until next time,
Pam
BLOG POST BY: Jerry, Marketing Director
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As Marketing Director, I talk to many customers throughout the day about their new document or website translation and localization projects. I educate our clients and prospects on the process and consult with them to provide the most cost effective solutions. In some cases for those who are new to working with languages, it may be a bit daunting how involved the process can be.
Based on my experience working at CTS LanguageLink, it is commonly assumed by those new to translation that it is simply a task of translating text in a given file and turning around a foreign copy. As I've learned in my time here, there is much more to the process of translation then simply translating the written text.
There are so many variables to consider such as text expansion, context, formatting, font issues, file format (Portable Document Format file versus native file), etc., all of which has to be taken into consideration when putting together an accurate translation quote.
All of this brings me to today's topic, why native files are needed (and preferred) for translation and are much more time and cost efficient to work with from the get go.
Oftentimes we receive a Portable Document Format (PDF) file for a quote request, which will suffice for the purpose of quoting. But in order to complete the translation project, the native file is required before any translation can begin. Simply put, Portable Document Format (PDF) files are viewable and printable on any platform and are not "live" files, which makes it very limiting to complete any text and formatting modifications, edits or changes. With that said, PDF files are not feasible for translation; however, the native "live" file, that the PDF file was created from, will allow for text and formatting modifications, edits or changes. Therefore, it is always best, and will at some point be required, to work with the source or native files for translation.
Here are my Top 5 cost benefits for providing native files from the start:
1) Providing native files will save time and budget from having to recreate the English template for translation.
2) It makes it easier to tackle the formatting challenges that text expansion, double-byte languages, left-to-right languages, embedded graphics may pose. Without seeing how files and graphics have been created and built in the source layout program (In Design, Quark, Pagemaker, Illustrator etc. ), we are not able to accurately quote the formatting time required.
3) An accurate word count performed by our translation memory TM software program can only be done with native files. Our TM will identify repetitive text within a document, which a discounted leverage text rate can be applied to.
4) The TM will develop a "memory" of units of text already translated for subsequent or updates projects. This translates (no pun intended) into minor revision costs and leverage text rates.
5) Time savings can be significant. Often we are waiting on files to get a project started. When native files are actually made available, the project scope may have changed significantly compared to the "ballpark" estimate.
These are only a few cost saving tips to help you maximize your budget. Stay tuned for more cost saving tips for your translation projects! Just remember that the native files are the best format for quoting and translation, with the PDF just for reference.
More questions? Email me at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
For more information about our Translation process, visit: http://www.ctslanguagelink.com/translation_process.php
BLOG POST BY: Sarah, Interpretation Division Manager
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IVR is a technology widely used throughout the telecom industry. What does it stand for and what does it mean? How does it help or hinder? This blog article is intended to help explain how IVR technology is used in the telephonic interpretation setting, and why it has become a preferred solution for many customers.
IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response
Wikipedia Definition: Interactive Voice Response(IVR) product, interactive technology that allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs. IVR technology is used extensively in telecommunications. IVR allows customers to access a company's database via a telephone touch tone keypad or by speech recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following the instructions. IVR systems can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed. IVR systems can be used to control almost any function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple menu choices. In telecommunications applications, IVR systems generally scale well to handle large call volumes.
You're probably already all too familiar with this technology. When you call your bank, the electric company, your credit card company, your airline carrier, the list goes on and on... you are rarely connected to a live operator without first listening to a number of phone "prompts". This can be very frustrating while you keep hitting "0" over and over again until you either finally reach a live operator, who cannot help you because you didn't select the correct prompt, or you get disconnected. Although IVR systems can be frustrating in many instances to the end user, there are applications in which it is extremely beneficial, and if used properly, can save precious time and money.
Here's how this technology is applied in the telephonic interpretation setting:
The CTS LanguageLink IVR system allows a telephonic or over-the-phone interpretation customer to automatically select the language desired for a telephone interpretation call, then is connected immediately to an interpreter without any interaction with a live attendant. So, for our customers with very high volume requests, this feature is very appealing, as it helps manage call volume in a much more efficient manner. Faster connect time to an interpreter means better service to the limited English proficient (LEP), or non-English speaking end client.
Implementation of an IVR solution reduces the amount of time required by the user or customer in two vital areas: 1. Bypassing the call center queue and avoid the wait for a live attendant has shaved on average 8 seconds per call. 2. Connect time to the interpreter is even faster, on average by 2 seconds per call.
In addition, the gathering of customized data for billing and reporting is more accurate as the IVR does not make clerical errors as the account information is entered directly in to our database.
We continue to add more customers to the IVR solution for their ongoing interpretation needs, as this has quickly become the preferred solution as it's very simple and easy to set up and utilize, and the benefits are quick to outweigh any initial doubts or hesitation that a new customer may have.
For more information about IVR use for telephonic interpretation, contact me at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
~Sarah
BLOG POST BY: Kara, Director of Marketing
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With the holiday season well under way, it's always a nice time to reflect on the year and take time to appreciate those in our lives, both personally and professionally. It's been a tough year for many of us and here at CTS we're all thankful we've been able to weather this tough economic storm fairly well. We feel very lucky to have such a strong and loyal customer base that have helped us get through some rather challenging times. We are hopeful that your organization and/or business will flourish in 2010. We are looking forward to a bright new year ahead!
In the past, we‘ve received referrals for new clients which we have relied on to help grow our business. We haven't had a formal "customer appreciation program" until recently. With our 20th anniversary fast approaching in 2011, we're planning to launch some innovative programs and initiatives. We want to make sure that our referrers understand how much we value the power of their testimonials. That is, after all, the best kind of advertising a company can ask for. So, as part of our new customer appreciation program, we're very proud to launch our referral program. We hope you will enjoy it!
It's pretty simple:
- All current and former customers are eligible. Or, if we haven't done business with you yet, you can also earn a gift card.
- All freelance contractors, business partners, and vendors are eligible.
- For every referral that results in a new customer relationship, the referrer will receive a $25 gift card of choice.
Also, there is no limit on the number of gift cards you can receive. So, enjoy free shopping on us, and have fun with this! ~Kara
If you want more details, contact us, or email us at blog@ctslanguagelink.com
More information about this program is posted on our website.