Industry Focus 

In the healthcare field, translation aims to improve communication between healthcare providers and patients. Since much of the content is patient-facing, it must be easy for individuals from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds to understand. Healthcare translation includes materials like patient handbooks, public health brochures, and hospital signage—all of which must be clear and accessible to support comprehension and foster trust. This type of translation directly impacts patient outcomes, as even small misunderstandings could lead to adverse health effects. 

Pharmaceutical translations, however, are focused on supporting drug development and regulatory compliance. This content is primarily intended for professionals—such as doctors, researchers, and regulators—requiring highly specialized scientific language. Here, accuracy is paramount to maintain the integrity of drug formulations, clinical studies, and research documentation. Any errors could have significant consequences, such as regulatory rejections or potential legal issues, making precision a top priority. When it comes to marketing campaigns and more creative content, the target audience is usually patients, and therefore the translation must be crafted with this in mind. 

Terminological Accuracy vs. Cultural Adaptation 

In healthcare translation, cultural adaptation is essential. Translators must consider local beliefs, healthcare practices, and cultural nuances to make information resonate with diverse patients. This adaptation is particularly important to build trust and ensure patient comprehension, as an overly literal translation could confuse or mislead patients and impact their health and quality of life. 

While cultural adaptation is often used in marketing content, pharmaceutical translation prioritizes terminological accuracy. This is critical for preserving the meaning of highly technical documents, such as dosage instructions and clinical trial results. Pharmaceutical translators must adhere strictly to scientific terminology, as even a minor error could compromise drug safety or lead to regulatory complications. In this context, precision in language is essential to protect product integrity and patient outcomes. 

Types of Content for Translation 

Healthcare translation typically covers accessible documents like patient handbooks, public health brochures, and informational signage. These materials must use clear, straightforward language to ensure they are easily understood by a wide audience, including those without medical knowledge. Translators must consider simplicity and clarity above all to ensure that patients understand crucial health information. 

Pharmaceutical translation involves highly specialized content, including clinical study reports, regulatory submissions, and product leaflets. Translators must have expertise in both medical and regulatory language to meet the stringent standards required by regulatory authorities across different countries. Inaccuracies in this type of translation could not only pose legal risks, but also jeopardize patient safety on a global scale. 

Global Impact 

Localization is particularly important in healthcare, where hospitals and clinics often serve multilingual populations. By translating healthcare materials into multiple languages, providers can offer more inclusive care. 

Pharmaceuticals, generally, operate on a global scale. Medications are often produced in one region and distributed worldwide, making consistent, accurate translation essential. Translating instructions, safety guidelines, and disclaimers effectively across regions ensures that the global public has access to safe and reliable products. 

The Takeaway 

While healthcare and pharmaceutical translation serve distinct roles, both are crucial in enhancing health and safety globally. Healthcare translations prioritize cultural relevance and clarity, while pharmaceutical translations emphasize terminological accuracy and compliance. Collaborating with professional translators helps enhance both sectors by ensuring critical information crosses linguistic barriers effectively.

The post Healthcare vs. Pharmaceutical Translation: Understanding Key Differences appeared first on Terra Translations.

At Terra, our commitment to fostering a culture of compliance goes beyond mere adherence to standards. We emphasize cultivating a sense of belonging and shared purpose among team members. Our dedication to continuous improvement stems from the firm belief that there is always room for enhancement, presenting opportunities for growth and innovation. 

This commitment to compliance is evident in our ISO-certified services maintained since 2019 and our strict adherence to HIPAA regulations. Read on to learn more about how we nurture compliance culture at Terra.  

ISO Certifications 

We strive to select certifications that truly enhance our operations and client services. The ISO 9001 and 17100 standards drive our quality-oriented translation services. 

To maintain these certifications through the years, we develop structured training programs and strategic initiatives to provide each team member with the latest tools and encourage them to embrace new technologies. Throughout this process, we constantly review our procedures. Thanks to these efforts, our team members understand their pivotal role in our quality management system and diligently apply best practices in their daily tasks. 

HIPAA Compliance 

As a language service provider, we have a strong commitment to language access. However, we understand that in the healthcare space specifically, a lot of sensitive and confidential information is shared in the translation projects our client entrusts us. As such, we need to handle these files with the utmost care. The compliance culture we first cultivated among our team with ISO allowed us to pursue HIPAA compliance with confidence. Every individual handling ePHI projects understands the importance of safeguarding this information, shares these values, and does everything in their power to uphold them. 

Compliance is a Team Effort 

If a compliance issue arises, the focus becomes identifying the root cause of the problem—not the person responsible for it. During non-conformity analyses, individuals from diverse company teams work together to examine deviations, gain a deeper comprehension of the origin of the problem, and collectively devise solutions. 

While compliance is mainly an internal process, external validation is essential to maintain our clients’ trust. Terra hires experienced external auditors to conduct comprehensive reviews. These internal audits are invaluable learning experiences, where team members see firsthand the impact their compliance efforts have on the team results. This independent evaluation leaves no room for improvisation. At the same time, it enables us to identify areas for improvement in our processes. 

The Takeaway 

Fostering a culture of compliance isn’t easy, but organizations that prioritize it set themselves up for long-term success. At Terra, we navigate the path to continuous improvement with a compass of transparency, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

The post Nurturing a Culture of Compliance: Terra’s Journey and Approach  appeared first on Terra Translations.

Let’s take a closer look at the role of cybersecurity in HIPAA-compliant translation services.  

Building a Strong Defense  

Terra is a language service provider (LSP) that handles the translation of very sensitive information, as such, we understand that cybersecurity is imperative. These are some of the measures we have in place to build a strong defense:  

• Proper monitoring. All electronic devices owned by Terra are monitored through Microsoft Azure tools, which detect potential threats. Our translation management system tracks all log activities for projects, generating a distinct timestamped record on projects with ePHI. 
• Secure on-premises servers. We have our own secure on-premises server in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which ensures that the data stays within our safe environments. This also gives us more control over information management in real-time and on demand. 
• Unique logins. Everyone with access to ePHI has a unique login and strong password—which is frequently updated for additional security.  
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Terra utilizes this program to ensure security through MFA for all Active Directory users.  

An Ongoing Commitment to Improving Cybersecurity  

There are some other steps the Terra team takes to continue to improve our cybersecurity efforts: 

• Continuous risk assessment. Terra executes risk assessments on a yearly basis under the most stringent guidelines and practices to preserve the security of all private information entrusted to us. During this assessment, our processes are audited by an external consultant specialized in HIPAA compliance and IT security. Their recommendations are then implemented so our processes, protocols and software comply with the latest regulations and stay at the cutting edge in terms of cybersecurity. 
• Security protocols. Our routers actively track and log all attempted security breaches. We conduct regular evaluations to detect any unusual behavior in our processes. 
• Data protection measures. Our IT department explores new advanced technologies to strengthen security and implement robust backup and recovery plans for ePHI integrity during emergencies or system failures. 
• Fostering a culture of compliance. Our team regularly trains to uphold our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information. Continuous collaboration with the IT department and our Privacy Officer allows each team member to play a vital role in compliance. 

Cybersecurity beyond healthcare 

Terra places the highest importance on maintaining robust cybersecurity measures and not just because of HIPAA compliance. In the language services industry, all sorts of confidential and sensitive information are handled in a digital format that is usually shared electronically.  

“In the healthcare field, it could be a medical record that would really hurt people if it were made public. But at the same time, in our other verticals, we handle court statements, sometimes from extremely dramatic situations, that no one would want to see disclosed. In other sectors, the damage can be just economic, but it can be huge and disrupt industries,” Dr. Matías Giannoni, Ph.D. and Privacy Officer at Terra explained.  

The takeaway 

The imperative role of cybersecurity in ensuring HIPAA compliance cannot be overstated for LSPs. As technology bridges geographical gaps and facilitates the global exchange of information, the responsibility to safeguard sensitive patient data becomes paramount. Terra’s Privacy Officer, in conjunction with our vigilant IT Department, plays a pivotal role in fortifying cybersecurity measures not just as a regulatory requirement but as a fundamental pillar in safeguarding privacy, maintaining confidentiality, and preventing potential harm to the different industries we work with. 

The post The Role of Cybersecurity in HIPAA-Compliant Translation Services appeared first on Terra Translations.

What is “organizational culture” and why is it important? 

The term “organizational culture” is often discussed in business, but a clear definition is hard to pin down. It comes from social anthropology and includes the knowledge and beliefs people acquire in society. In the 1970s, this term became crucial for meeting the needs and values of workers. Today, companies value it more than physical assets, using it to shape new strategies.  

Since we spend over half our day working and interacting with colleagues, a positive organizational culture significantly impacts our well-being and satisfaction in both professional and personal aspects of life. At Terra, we focus on building a strong company culture, recognizing its importance in our success. 

Company Culture at Terra 

Being a 100% virtual company since its inception in 2000, Terra has always prioritized creating opportunities for connection and support amongst our team despite the lack of face-to-face interactions. We understand the importance of fostering a sense of companionship and collaboration, especially in a remote setting where traditional avenues for communication are often limited.  

To address these challenges, we implement various strategies such as prioritizing phone over email communication, hosting monthly company-wide meetings led by our leaders to discuss business updates and vision, team-specific monthly meetings with our CEO, and weekly check-ins within each team for progress updates. Additionally, we provide recreational spaces and flexibility to ensure a well-rounded and fulfilling work experience for our team members. 

Impact on retention 

Within each team, microcultures inevitably form, even within the broader organizational culture defined by the company’s mission and values. These microcultures develop unique values and work styles. While these microcultures need to maintain respectful and functional dynamics that align with the company’s overall objectives, it’s equally crucial to respect their individuality.  

Numerous studies demonstrate that factors beyond compensation influence an individual’s decision to remain with a company. Therefore, acknowledging and respecting the unique microcultures within teams contributes significantly to employee retention and overall organizational success.  

Thanks to these efforts, Terra currently boasts a remarkable 95% retention rate. Positive feedback from climate surveys underscores the effectiveness of our approach, demonstrating that employees continue to choose Terra not only for the supportive team environment but also for the career challenges it offers and the growth opportunities it provides for every collaborator. 

The takeaway 

Finding and training the right talent takes a lot of work and money. To retain top talent, you need to prioritize building a strong company culture that reflects shared values amongst your workforce. Doing so will help both the organization as a whole and individual team members thrive.

The post Thriving Together: The Impact of Company Culture at Terra  appeared first on Terra Translations.

When it comes to the handling of electronically Protected Health Information, the utmost care must be taken in order to adhere to HIPAA regulations regarding privacy and security measures. Here’s how the Terra team handles translation projects containing ePHI. 

First Things First 

Before kicking off a translation project containing ePHI, we typically have a call with the client to better understand their needs, expectations, and special considerations. If they have concerns about cybersecurity measures or want to learn more about the HIPAA-compliant team that will handle their projects, we will walk them through our training program and introduce them to the strong culture of compliance we promote. 

Receiving a Project 

Once everyone is on the same page and the client is ready to send their first project, they usually do it through a secure file transfer platform (of their preference) where they upload the files containing ePHI that require translation. Our team also receives an email from the client where the details of this project are included, such as language pair, word count, and deadline. 

Assigning the Project 

Next, we move on to assigning the project to a Terra account manager (AM) trained in HIPAA compliance. The AM opens the assignment email, analyzes the request, and downloads the files that need translation from the client’s platform to their encrypted devices. From there, they upload them to Terra’s secure storage platform. Then, the AM shares the project details with a project manager (PM) who is in charge of uploading the project to a secure translation tool, including only the vital instructions and information the translator needs to perform their job, and assigns it to a linguist selected from a list of already approved vendors.  

Translating & Editing 

When we’re ready to move on to the translating and editing stage, our trusted HIPAA-compliant linguist receives a notification about the assigned project and proceeds to translate it within the secure translation tool. The access this translator has to the project files is controlled, limited to view-only, and removed once the project is completed. 

After the translation is performed, the next step is editing and an editor reviews the final version, making sure there are no spelling, grammar, or formatting errors.  

Final Delivery 

After editing steps are finalized, the project is ready and the PM in charge delivers the files to the client through the client’s secure platform. The final files are uploaded to our own secure storage platform for a set period of time in case they are needed in the near future, and after that period is over, the files are deleted.  

The Takeaway 

Terra ensures a secure and compliant ePHI translation process, prioritizing confidentiality and integrity. Clients can trust their sensitive healthcare information is safe thanks to Terra’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in handling electronically Protected Health Information. 

The post How Does Terra Handle Translation Projects Containing ePHI? appeared first on Terra Translations.

What is an AVS and why is it important?  

An after-visit summary (AVS) serves as a post-appointment document for patients that summarizes their health status and outlines future care steps, including self-management tasks. This document is so important to have because it enhances care and health outcomes for both adult and pediatric patients and makes life easier for their families or caregivers. The AVS includes treatment decisions for acute and chronic conditions, while for pediatric patients, it aids in tracking growth, development, immunizations, and specific instructions related to diagnoses. It’s a valuable tool for guiding self-care outside clinical settings, planning future appointments, and sharing crucial information with other healthcare providers. 

The critical role of AVS translations  

To better understand the important role translation plays in the realm of AVS documents, let’s look at a helpful example. An adult needs to start taking a statin medication (a group of medicines that help lower your cholesterol) and the explanation in their AVS is in a language they don’t speak, or they are not proficient in. In this case, the patient will likely not realize what they need to do next, and their cholesterol will go unchecked. Any type of misunderstanding will interfere with the patient’s current condition.  

Patients have the right to understand their health status and the instructions they must follow to take care of themselves, or in the case of parents, to take care of their children’s health. Having access to an AVS in their native language decreases the risk of them making a mistake when taking medication or missing their next medical appointment.   

How accessible language increases patient comprehension  

Understanding their medical condition can feel overwhelming for patients, which is why a compassionate approach is always necessary when it comes to communication. The message conveyed, irrespective of language, should be clear and accurate. That way, patients can easily grasp the necessary steps for recovery. Translating such documents requires tailoring the language, style, and tone to suit the recipient. Utilizing straightforward language aids in effective communication, fostering trust and respect between patients and their healthcare providers. 

For instance, while translating medication prescriptions and instructions it’s best to add the generic drug name to help patients locate their medicine easily at their local pharmacy. This thoughtful approach enhances comprehension and ensures better adherence to treatment. 

Another effective approach involves adapting complex medical terms and clarifying acronyms to ensure patients comprehend instructions for properly taking their prescribed medication. For example, rather than directly translating abbreviations like “4 puffs Q4 PRN for wheezing or cough” in EN>ES, it’s preferable to break it down into easy-to-understand steps.  

Providing instructions like “4 descargas cada 4 horas, cuando sea necesario en caso de sibilancia o tos” in Spanish, which translates to “4 puffs every 4 hours, when necessary, in case of wheezing or cough,” helps patients grasp the information more clearly and accurately. 

Conclusion  

To recap—an AVS holds significant importance in the medical field, particularly for vulnerable groups facing communication barriers, like those with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). 

Clear communication serves as the cornerstone for establishing trust and respect between healthcare providers and patients. This, in turn, leads to enhanced care, improved health outcomes, and a more positive healthcare journey overall. Advocating for increased language access is pivotal in shaping a healthcare system that is more inclusive and centered around the needs of the patient. It’s a step toward creating a healthcare environment that prioritizes every individual’s understanding and comfort, fostering a more equitable and patient-focused approach. 

The post Communication Matters: Translating After-Visit Summaries for Patient Understanding appeared first on Terra Translations.

What a HIPAA Privacy Officer Does 

Matías Giannoni, Ph.D., works as a HIPAA Privacy Officer at Terra to ensure that everyone involved in handling ePHI knows the rules, regulations and policies really well and, more importantly, if in doubt, that they feel confident reaching out to him before taking any step or action that might be in violation of the rules or, worse, compromising information. “So, it is not just a matter of ticking a few boxes but being tangentially involved in operations to make sure all processes are compliant and secure,” Giannoni explained. 

The key responsibilities of working as a HIPAA Privacy Officer include: 

• Making sure all the processes internally are compliant and everyone knows exactly what they have to do in order to minimize risks to almost zero 
• Overseeing the annual training of team members handling ePHI to keep up to date with the latest developments 
• Assessing new technologies to optimize our operations while remaining in compliance 
• Acting as a liaison to the IT Department and prioritizing cybersecurity by taking all the steps to be at the cutting edge of information security technologies  
• Being the first point of contact in case of any breach and the one in charge of communicating any situation with external stakeholders 

Working with Total HIPAA 

While Giannoni has strong experience working in heavily regulated environments with obscure and sometimes confusing regulations, Terra also relies on an external organization for additional consulting and guidance. When it comes to collaborating with Total HIPAA, Giannoni shared that they have been key partners in organizing our processes, conducting a thorough internal audit, and training our team. There are many things in which their expertise has proven to be invaluable. “Sometimes a certain technology is compliant with regulations, but it can be improved with a more advanced technology as regulations sometimes are defined with reference to technologies that existed at the point a certain legislation was put in place, and Total HIPAA advises us on those points where we can do even better than the minimum standards.” 

The Most Important Aspect of Protecting Patient Privacy 

The human aspect, both in terms of where the main failures can come from as well as in terms of the consequences cannot be overlooked. “When I think about this task, I am not thinking about potential fines or breaches of contract. Having access to all this sensible information, I am constantly obsessed about the fact that I would never like to see such sensitive information out in the open or in the hands of a heartless ransomware hacker,” Giannoni said, “That thought keeps me constantly alert.” 

To make sure that all staff members handling ePHI are trained on HIPAA policies and procedures, they receive Total HIPAA’s thorough training and evaluation annually. According to Giannoni, all of our team members scored high in their training and demonstrated a very strong culture of compliance. “Nevertheless, I often test their knowledge in our operational meetings to make sure they remember it correctly,” he shared.  

The Takeaway 

In safeguarding ePHI, the role of a HIPAA Privacy Officer stands as a crucial pillar in ensuring compliance and fortifying the security of patient data during translation processes. All patients deserve privacy while navigating medical care, which is why at Terra, we go to great lengths to remain compliant.  

The post Protecting ePHI in Translation: The Role of a HIPAA Privacy Officer   appeared first on Terra Translations.

Video Games

Because only 5% of the Brazilian population speaks English, localization into Portuguese is a must if you want your video game to be widely accessible to Brazilians. It’s extremely important that you localize your video game for the Brazilian market. Especially when you consider the fact that this country is home to over 66 million gamers, which is almost as many people that make up the entire UK population. An important factor to understand about the Brazilian market is how much they rely on their mobile devices because of how much they rely on their mobile devices, in part due to long commutes on public transport and affordability when compared to other platforms. Localizing mobile games in particular should be a priority for video game creators. 

E-Learning

Those that focus on the corporate training sector in particular have great potential to break into this market right now. Because only a minority of people in Brazil speak English, this language barrier prevents them from taking online courses that are not in their native language. Data suggests that Brazilian industries are developing fast, but their workforce is not adequately trained and can lack specific skills. If you adapt your online courses to their native language, you can help address this need and expand your reach in this market. 

You also have the opportunity to adapt your e-learning courses to a mobile format, which will appeal to this unique market. By 2023, the Latin America e-learning market is anticipated to generate more than $3 billion in revenue, so this is not an opportunity that e-learning content creators want to sleep on. 

Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

Circling back to those 211 million Brazilians, that’s a lot of people who need access to translated and localized healthcare and pharmaceutical information. As of 2018, there were more than 250 health-focused startups in Brazil. This isn’t surprising when you consider that Brazil is the world’s seventh-largest health market. 

From prescription packaging to medical records to insurance claims, there is a great need for proper translation and localization in the Brazilian healthcare industry. Brazil’s pharmaceutical market in particular is one of the largest in the industry and rapidly growing. With many pharmaceuticals developed in English-speaking countries, this leaves a large need for translation in this space. 

Mobile comes into play here once again. To help make healthcare as a whole more accessible (including advice, diagnosis, and monitoring), telehealth services are growing in Brazil. Part of the attempt to make healthcare more accessible is to embrace telehealth, which often takes advantage of mobile applications. 

Translation and localization in the healthcare and pharmaceutical space does not just lead to business opportunities, but also opportunities to create safer and more effective care for Brazilians.

The post Brazil as an emerging market: Key industries appeared first on Terra Translations.