Medical Translation Services
Translation of clinical documents for patients, providers and insurers: records, discharge summaries, lab reports, prescriptions and research consent forms.
The short answer
Medical translation has to be exact because clinicians act on it: drug names, doses, units and dates are carried over as written, and diagnosis codes such as ICD-10 stay unchanged. Research consent must be in language the subject understands (21 CFR 50.20). A translator handling patient records for a covered entity works as a HIPAA business associate (45 CFR 160.103).
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Informed consent information must be in language understandable to the subject or the representative. | 21 CFR 50.20 |
| A person who handles protected health information on behalf of a covered entity, such as a translation vendor, is a business associate. | 45 CFR 160.103 (definition of business associate) |
| Patients have a right to obtain copies of their records, which is how most records for translation are obtained. | 45 CFR 164.524 |
| Covered health programs that use machine translation for critical content must have it reviewed by a qualified human translator. | 45 CFR 92.201(c)(3) (Section 1557 rule, 2024) |
| ICD-10 codes are the same in every language edition of the classification, so a code on a foreign record is not translated. | World Health Organization, ICD-10 |
Who needs medical translation
Patients bringing records from abroad to a US doctor, or taking US records to a doctor overseas. Providers receiving a transferred patient's history. Insurers and employers assessing a claim with foreign treatment records. Courts and USCIS, where medical records are evidence in injury cases, asylum claims or waivers. Researchers recruiting participants who read another language. Each reads for something different, but all of them need the record to say exactly what the original says.
What must never change
- Drug names and doses. Brand names differ by country (paracetamol is acetaminophen in the US; Novalgin is metamizole, which is not sold in the US). We keep the name on the record and add the generic name in brackets where it helps, never a guessed US equivalent.
- Units. Glucose in mmol/L stays in mmol/L. Converting units is a clinical act; the translation leaves it to the reader.
- Dates. Written with the month in words, because 03/04 means 3 April on most foreign records.
- Codes and abbreviations. ICD codes are unchanged. Abbreviations are expanded only when the meaning is certain; otherwise they are kept and flagged.
- Handwriting. Illegible entries are marked [illegible], not guessed.
For providers and health plans
Outbound translation, from English into patients' languages, is a different job: discharge instructions, consent forms, patient portals and notices of rights. Here plain language matters as much as accuracy. Since the 2024 Section 1557 rule, covered entities that use machine translation for critical documents must have a qualified human translator review it. See our healthcare page for the notice and language-access rules that apply to providers.
Privacy
Medical records are among the most sensitive documents we handle. Files are stored on access-controlled systems, seen only by the translator and reviewer on the job, and deleted on request after delivery. Providers who send us protected health information can ask for a business associate agreement before the first order.
Getting records from abroad
Foreign hospitals often send a short summary when asked for "records". For a US doctor or an insurer, that is rarely enough. Ask for the full file: admission and discharge summaries, operative notes, laboratory results with their reference ranges, imaging reports (the written report, since images themselves need no translation), and the medication list with doses. If the records are for a claim or a court case, ask the hospital to stamp or certify the copies, and send us the whole set so the translation covers the certification too.
What we don't do
We translate what the record says; we do not interpret results, give medical opinions, or convert units and doses. We do not provide medical interpreters for appointments.
Documents we translate for this
Medical Records translation
Certified translation of medical records, vaccination records and reports for treatment, immigration medicals and insurance claims.
Vaccination Record translation
Certified translation of foreign vaccination and immunization records for the USCIS medical exam (Form I-693), schools and universities, with every dose date …
Death Certificate translation
Certified death certificate translation for estates, insurance claims, USCIS filings and repatriation.
Price
$39 for the first page (up to 250 words) into English, $49 into any other language, then $0.116 per additional word. Each file is priced on its own. The signed certificate of accuracy is included.
Full pricingTurnaround
24 hours standard for most documents. Expedited service is +50% for 6–8 hours and +100% for 1–3 hours. Large files are quoted with a delivery date before you pay.
Questions
Do X-rays and scans need translating?
The images do not. The radiologist's written report does, and so do any labels or annotations on the images if a reader needs them.
Do you translate handwritten doctors' notes?
Yes, where they are legible. Anything we cannot read with certainty is marked [illegible] or given with a question mark, so no one acts on a guess.
Will you sign a business associate agreement?
Yes, for covered entities and their business associates. Ask before sending protected health information.
Do medical records for USCIS need a certified translation?
Yes. Any foreign-language document filed with USCIS needs a full certified English translation (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)).
Related
Prepared by Global Certified Translations, Edgewater, NJ. Translations are signed by a State Court Certified Translator. This page explains translation requirements; it is not legal advice.
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