Uses of Mobile Phone Language Translation Applications in Surgery

Abstract

Globalization has resulted in the proliferation of multi-lingual communities worldwide. Local health agencies nowadays cater to the increasing demand for interpretation services, which can be an expensive effort. Professional interpretation services also have limitations in availability and convenience. With the widespread use of smartphones in the medical workplace, software applications with the ability to translate between languages represent a potentially convenient and inexpensive adjuvant to professional interpretation services. It may also be a useful option for clinicians working in rural areas devoid of professional interpreter services. Current data suggests that current translation software applications provide variable accuracy of translation depending on the language, some are acceptable and others are not. More research is required to improve the accuracy and consistency of these translation applications. Using these translation applications on mobile phones for minor or non-medicolegal tasks may help improve the efficiency of the health system by reserving professional interpreting services for important tasks with potential medicolegal implications.

Keywords

• interpretation
• language
• mobile phone
• software
• translation